THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  ILLINOIS 

LIBRARY 


910.4- 

W6Z0 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE 


A  VOYAGE  TO  PBEC  IN  AN  IRISH  EMIGRANT  VESSEL 


EMBRACIKO 


A   QUARANTIKB  AT   GHOSSE   ISLE   IN   1847.      WITH   NOTES   ILLTJSTEATIVE   OF 
THE    SHir-PESTJLENCE    OF   THAT    FATAL   YEAR. 


BY  A   CABIN  PASSENGER. 


"  To  throw  starving  and  diseased  paupers  under  tlie  rock  at  Quebec,  ought  to  be  punishable  as  murder." 
LoKD  Sydenham. 


BOSTON: 

COOLIDGE  AND  WILEY,  12  WATER  STREET. 

1848. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1848,  by 

KOBERT  •WHYTE, 

In  the  Clerk's  office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


CONTENTS 


INTRODUCTION. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Parting.  —  On  board.  —  Weighing  anchor.  —  Intl'oductions.  — 
Antrim  coast.  —  An  inteUigent  youth  —  his  capabilities.  —  A 
contrast.  —  The  mate.  —  The  mistress.  —  A  discovery.  —  An  ex- 
tra passenger.  —  A  muster.  —  Rations.  —  A  treasure.  —  Fishing. 

—  An  unanticipated  deprivation.  —  Departure. 

CHAPTER   II. 

The   ocean.  —  A  medicine   chest.  —  Observations.  —  Cookery. 

—  Sailor's  employment.  —  New  acquaintances.  —  Geographical 
knowledge.  —  Boundary  line.  —  Ocean's  inmates.  —  Charts.  —  A 
practical  joke.  —  Sunday. 

CHAPTER   III. 

One  having  authority.  —  Company.  —  A  warning.  — The  little 
shoemaker.  —  A  brilliant  exploit. — A  puzzle.  —  The  cabin. — 
Alarming  news.  —  Bad  water.  —  Insubordination.  —  An  inuendo^ 

—  The  hold,  -r-  An  exting-uisher. 


4^i6l5;^ 


CONTENTS.  «. 


tacks.  —  L'isle  d'  Orl^ns.  —  Monster  ships.  —  Falls  of  Mont- 
morenci.  —  Quebec.  —  Harbour-master  and  physician.  —  Dis- 
charge from  quarantine.  —  Sail  to  j^B^^. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


Inefficacy  of  the  quai^ntine  system.  —  Mortality  among  doc- 
tors and  clergymen.  —  Montreal. — Toronto. — The  emigrants. — 
Their "sufierings.  —  Duty  of  protecting  ther 


\v 


APPENDlJX. 


•^ 


INTRODUCTION. 

Men  judge  by  tlic  complexion  of  the  sky, 
The  state  and  inclination  of  the  day : 
So  may  you  by  my  dull  and  heavy  eye, 
My  tongue  liath  but  a  heavier  tale  to  say. 
I  play  the  torturer  by  small  and  small 
To  lengthen  out  the  worst  that  may  be  spoken. 

SHAKSPEARE. 

Emigration  has  for  a  long  time  been  considered  by- 
British  political  economists  the  most  effective  means  of  al- 
leviating the  grievous  ills  under  which  the  Irish  peasantry 
lal3or.  It  is  not  our  province  to  inquire  into  its  expedi- 
ency ;  but  viewing  the  subject  with  the  single  eye  of  com- 
mon-sense, it  is  difficult  to  see  the  necessity  of  expatriating 
the  superfluous  population  of  a  country  wherein  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  acres  of  land  susceptible  of  the  highest 
culture,  lie  waste,  —  whose  mines  teeming  with  wealth 
remain  unvvorked,  —  and  which  is  bordered  by  more  than 
two  thousand  miles  of  sea  coast,  whose  banks  swarm  with 
ling,  cod,  mackerel,  &c.,  while  salt-fish  is  largely  imported 
from  Scotland. 

Many  years  previous  to  legislators  taking  up  the  matter, 
emigration  from  Ireland  existed,  and  that  of  a  class  of 
persons  which  could  be  badly  spared  from  the  already 
impoverished  island ;  consisting  as  it  did  of  small  but 
substantial  farmers,  who  perceiving  but  a  gloomy  prospect 
before  them,  sold  off  their  land,  and,  turning  their  capital 
into  cash,  availed  themselves  of  the  opportunities  that 
2 


10  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

existed  to  find  comfort  and  independence  by  settling  in 
America. 

The  majority  of  these  adventurers  being  successful  in 
their  undertakings,  they  induced  their  relatives  and  friends 
to  follow  them  ;  and  thus  a  strong  tide  of  emigrants,  whose 
number  gradually  increased  each  season,  set  toward  the 
West. 

This  progressive  and  natural  system  of  emigration, 
however,  gave  place  within  the  last  few  years  to  a  violent 
rush  of  famished,  reckless  human  beings,  flying  from  their 
native  land,  to  seek  food  in  a  distant  and  unknown  country. 

The  cause  of  this  sudden  change  is  easily  ascertained. 
Everyone  is  familiar  with  the  wretched  lot  of  the  Irish 
peasantry,  —  obliged  to  work  for  a  miserable  pittance,  their 
chief  reliance  was  upon  the  crop  of  potatoes  grown  by 
each  family  in  the  little  patch  of  ground  attached  to  their 
hut;  a  poor  dependence  indeed,  not  only  as  regards  the 
inferiority  of  the  potato  as  the  sole  diet  of  a  people,  but 
from  the  great  uncertainty  always  attending  its  propagation. 
The  consequences  of  even  a  partial  failure  —  an  event  of 
common  occurrence  —  being  of  the  most  serious  nature. 

In  the  year  1822,  the  deficiency  was  so  general  that  the 
price  quadrupled,  and  the  peasantry  of  the  south  and  west 
were  reduced  to  actual  starvation.  To  alleviate  the  distress 
a  committee  was  formed  in  London,  and  sub-committees 
throughout  England  ;  and  such  was  the  benevolence  of 
individuals,  that  large  funds  were  in  a  short  time  at  their 
disposal.  By  the  end  of  the  year  subscriptions  had  been 
raised  in  Great  Britain  amounting  to  ^£350,000 ;  to  which 
parliament  added  a  grant  of  d£300,000 ;  while  the  local 
collections  in   Ireland  were  d£150,000 ;  making  altogether 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  H 

£800,000, —  a  large  sum,  but  how  inadequate  to  meet  the 
wants  of  some  three  or  four  millions  of  starving  people? 

This  serious  warning  it  should  be  supposed  would  have 
opened  the  eyes  of  the  country  to  the  necessity  of  having 
something  else  as  a  resource  under  a  similar  emergency  ; 
but  a  plentiful  season  lulled  them  into  forgetfulness  of  what 
they  had  sutTered,  and  apathy  concerning  the  future. 

So  abundant  was  the  produce  of  the  seasons  1842  and 
1843,  that  the  poorest  beggar  refused  potatoes,  and  they 
were  commonly  used  to  manure  the  land. 

But  the  blight  of  the  crop  of  1845,  and  the  total  destruc- 
tion of  that  of  1846,  brought  the  country  to  the  lowest  ebb, 
and  famine  with  its  attendant,  disease,  stalked  through 
the  land. 

Charity  stretched  forth  her  hand  from  far  and  near. 
America  giving  liberally  of  her  abundance.  But  all  that 
could  be  done  fell  far  short  of  the  wants  of  the  dying 
sufferers.  The  government  stepped  forward,  and  advanced 
funds  for  the  establishment  of  public  works ;  this  was 
attended  with  much  advantage  and  mitigated  a  great  deal 
of  distress ;  but  unfortunately,  all  the  money  had  to  be  re- 
turned in  the  shape  of  onerous  taxation  upon  the  landowners. 

The  gentry  became  seriously  alarmed,  and  some  of  them 
perceiving  that  the  evil  was  likely  to  increase  year  after 
year,  took  into  their  consideration  what  would  be  the  surest 
method  of  terminating  it. 

At  length  it  was  discovered  that  the  best  plan  would  be 
to  get  completely  rid  of  those  who  were  so  heavy  a  burthen 
upon  them,  by  shipping  them  to  America;  at  the  same 
time  publishing  to  the  world,  as  an  act  of  brotherly  love 
and  kindness,  a  deed  of  crafty,  calculating  selfishness, — 


]2  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

for  the  expense  of  transporting  each  individual  was  less 
than  the  cost  of  one  year's  support  in  a  workhouse. 

It  required  but  little  argument  to  induce  the  prostrated 
people  to  accede  to  their  landlords'  proposal,  by  quitting 
their  poverty-stricken  country  for  "  a  land  flowing  with 
milk  and  honey,"  —  poor  creatures,  they  thought  that  any 
change  would  be  for  the  better.  They  had  nothing  to 
risk,  every  thing  to  gain.  "  Ah !  Sir,"  said  a  fellow-pas- 
senger to  me,  after  bewailing  the  folly  that  tempted  him 
to  plunge  his  family  into  aggravated  misfortune,  —  "we 
thought  we  could'nt  be  worse  off"  than  we  war ;  but  now 
to  our  sorrow  we  know  the  differ ;  for  sure  supposin  we 
were  dyin  of  starvation,  or  if  the  sickness  overtuk  us.  We 
had  a  chance  of  a  doctor,  and  if  he  could  do  no  goodfor 
our  bodies,  sure  the  priest  could  for  our  souls  ;  and  then 
we'd  be  buried  along  wid  our  own  people,  in  the  ould 
church-yard,  with  the  green  sod  over  us ;  instead  of  dying 
like  rotten  sheep  thrown  into  a  pit,  and  the  minit  the 
breath  is  out  of  our  bodies,  flung  into  the  sea  to  be  eaten 
up  by  them  horrid  sharks." 

It  cannot  excite  the  least  surprise  that  these  wretched 
beings  should  carry  with  them  the  seeds  of  that  plague 
from  which  they  were  flying ;  and  it  was  but  natural 
that  these  seeds  should  rapidly  germinate  in  the  hot-bed 
holds  of  ships  crammed  almost  to  suffbcation  with  their 
distempered  bodies.  In  short,  nothing  was  wanted  to  en- 
courage the  speedy  development  of  the  direst  disease  and 
misery  ;  but  alas  !  every  thing  that  could  check  their  spread 
was  absent. 

My  heart  sickens  when  I  think  upon  the  fatal  scenes  of 
the  awfull)  tragic  drama  enacted  upon  the  wide  stage  of  the 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  13 

Atlantic  ocean,  in  the  floating  lazar  houses  that  were  wafted 
upon  its  bosom  during  the  never-to-be-forgotten  year  1847. 

Without  a  precedent  in  history,  may  God  grant  that  the 
account  of  it  may  descend  to  posterity  without  a  parallel. 

Lavv^s  for  the  regulation  of  passenger  ships  wei'e  in  ex- 
istence ;  but  whether  on  account  of  difficulty  arising  from 
the  vast  augmentation  of  number,  or  some  other  cause, 
they  (if  at  all  put  in  force)  proved  quite  ineffectual. 

What  a  different  picture  was  presented  by  the  Germans 
who  migrated  in  large  bodies?  who, —  although  the  trans- 
mission of  human  beings  from  Fatherland  must  always  be 
attended  by  more  or  less  pain  and  trouble,  —  underwent 
none  of  those  heart-rending  trials  reserved  exclusively  for 
the  Irish  emigrant. 

Never  did  so  many  souls  tempt  all  the  dangers  of  the 
deep,  to  seek  asylums  in  an  adopted  country ;  and,  could 
we  draw  a  veil  over  the  sad  story  of  the  ship  pestilence, 
"this  migration  of  masses,  numbering  of  late  years  more 
than  100,000  annually,  now  to  nearly  300,000  annually, 
not  in  the  warlike  spirit  of  the  Goths  and  Vandals  who 
overran  the  Roman  Empire,  and  destroyed  the  monuments 
of  art  and  evidences  of  civilization,  but  in  the  spirit  of 
peace,  anxious  to  provide  for  themselves  and  their  children 
the  necessaries  of  life,  and  apparently  ordained  by  Provi- 
dence to  relieve  the  countries  of  the  old  world,  and  to 
serve  great  purposes  of  good  to  mankind,  —  is  one  of  the 
most  interesting  spectacles  the  world  ever  saw."^ 

The  reader  must  not  expect  to  find  any  thing  more  in 
these  pages  than  a  faithful  detail  of  the  occurrences  on 
board   an  emigrant  vessel.     The  author  has  no  desire  to 

*  Immigration  into  the  United  States.    By  J.  Chiclcering.     Boston,  1848. 


14  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

exaggerate,  were  it  possible  to  do  so.  And  he  who  wishes 
to  arrive  at  any  conclusion  as  to  the  amount  of  suffering, 
must  calculate,  from  the  affliction  that  I  have  faintly  por- 
trayed upon  a  small  scale,  what  must  have  been  the  unut- 
terable "  weight  of  woe  "  in  ships  whose  holds  contained 
five  or  six  hundred  tainted,  famished,  dying  mortals. 

The  following  extract  from  the  London  Times  news- 
paper presents  a  faithful  and  graphic  review  of  the  dire 
tragedy. 

"  The  great  Irish  famine  and  pestilence  will  have  a  place 
in  that  melancholy  series  of  similar  calamities  to  which 
historians  and  poets  have  contributed  so  many  harrowing- 
details  and  touching  expressions.  Did  Ireland  possess  a 
writer  endued  with  the  laborious  truth  of  Thucydides,  the 
graceful  felicity  of  Virgil,  or  the  happy  invention  of  De 
Foe,  the  events  of  this  miserable  year  might  be  quoted  by 
the  scholar  for  ages  to  come,  together  with  the  sufferings 
of  the  pent-up  multitudes  of  Athens,  the  distempered  plains 
of  northern  Italy,  or  the  hideous  ravages  of  our  own  great 
plague.  But  time  is  ever  improving  on  the  past.  There 
is  one  horrible  feature  of  the  recent,  not  to  say  present 
visitation,  which  is  entirely  new.  The  fact  of  more  than 
a  hundred  thousand  souls  flying  frorh  the  very  midst  of  a 
calamity  across  a  great  ocean  to  a  new  world,  crowding 
into  insufficient  vessels,  scrambling  for  a  footing  on  a  deck, 
or  a  berth  in  a  hold,  committing  themselves  to  these  worse 
than  prisons,  while  their  frames  were  wasted  with  ill  fare 
and  their  blood  infected  with  disease,  fighting  for  months 
of  unutterable  wretchedness  against  the  elements  without 
and  pestilence  within,  giving  almost  hourly  victims  to  the 
deep,  landing  at  length  on  shores  already  terrified   and 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  _  15 

diseased,  consigned  to  encampments  of  the  dying  and  the 
dead,  spreading  death  wherever  theyroam,  and  having  no 
other  prospect  before  them  than  a  long  continuance  of 
these  horrors  in  a  still  farther  flight  across  forests  and  lakes 
under  a  Canadian  sun  and  a  Canadian  frost  —  all  these  are 
circumstances  beyond  the  experience  of  the  Greek  historian 
or  Latin  poet,  and  such  as  an  Irish  pestilence  alone  could 
produce. 

"By  the  end  of  the  season  there  is  little  doubt  that  the 
emigration  into  Canada  alone  will  have  amounted  to  100,- 
000  ;  nearly  all  from  Ireland.  We  know  the  condition  in 
which  these  poor  creatures  embarked  on  their  perilous 
adventure.  They  were  only  flying  from  one  form  of  death. 
On  the  authority  of  the  Montreal  Board  of  Health  we  are 
enabled  to  say  that  they  were  allowed  to  ship  in  numbers 
two  or  three  times  greater  than  the  same  vessels  would 
have  presumed  to  carry  to  an  United  States  port. 

"  The  worse  horrors  of  that  slave-trade  which  it  is  the 
boast  or  the  ambition  of  this  empire  to  suppress,  at  any 
cost,  have  been  reenacted  in  the  flight  of  British  subjects 
from  their  native  shores.  In  only  ten  of  the  vessels  that 
arrived  at  Montreal  in  July,  four  from  Cork  and  six  from 
Liverpool,  out  of  4,427  passengers,  804  had  died  on  the 
passage,  and  847  wer«  sick  on  their  arrival;  that  is,  847 
were  visibly  diseased,  for  the  result  proves  that  a  far  larger 
number  had  in  them  the  seeds  of  disease.  '  The  Larch.,'' 
says  the  Board  of  Health,  on  August  12th,  'reported  this 
morning  from  Sligo,  sailed  with  440  passengers,  of  whom 
108  died  on  the  passage,  and  150  were  sick. 

" '  The  Virginius  sailed  with  596  ;  158  died  on  the  pas- 
sage, 18G  were  sick,  and  the  remainder  landed  feeble  and 
tottering;  the  captain,  mates,  and  crew,  were  all  sick.' 


IQ  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

"  The  Blackhole  of  Calcutta  was  a  mercy  compared  to 
the  holds  of  these  vessels.  Yet  simultaneously,  as  if  in 
reproof  of  those  on  whom  the  blame  of  all  this  wretched- 
ness must  fall,  foreigners,  Germans  from  Hamburg  and 
Bremen  are  daily  arriving,  all  healthy,  robust,  and  cheerful. 
"  This  vast  unmanageable  tide  of  population  thus 
thrown  upon  Montreal,  like  the  fugitives  from  some  bloody 
defeat,  or  devastated  country,  has  been  greatly  augmented 
by  the  prudent,  and,  we  must  add,  most  necessary  precau- 
tions adopted  in  time  by  the  United  States,  where  most 
stringent  sanitary  regulations,  enforced  by  severe  penalties, 
have  been  adopted  to  save  the  ports  of  the  Union  from 
those  very  horrors  which  a  paternal  government  has 
suffered  to  fall  upon  Montreal.  Many  of  these  pest  ships 
have  been  obliged  to  aher  their  destination,  even  while  at 
sea,  for  the  St.  Lawrence. 

"  At  Montreal  a  large  proportion  of  these  outcasts  have 
lingered  from  sheer  inability  to  proceed.  The  inhabitants 
of  course  have  been  infected. 

"  A  still  more  horrible  sequel  is  to  come.  The  survivors 
have  to  wander  forth  and  find  homes.  Who  can  say  how 
many  will  perish  on  the  way,  or  the  masses  of  houseless, 
famished,  and  half-naked  wretches  that  will  be  strewed  on 
the  inhospitable  snow  when  a  Canadian  winter  sets  in  ? 

"  Of  these  awful  occurrences  some  account  must  be 
given.  HistoHans  and  politicians  will  some  day  sift  and 
weigh  the  conflicting  narrations  and  documents  of  this 
lamentable  year,  and  pronounce  with  or  without  affecta- 
tion, how  much  is  due  to  the  inclemency  of  heaven,  and 
how  much  to  the  cruelly,  heartlessness  or  improvidence  of 
man.  The  boasted  institutions  and  spirit  of  the  empire 
are  on  trial.     They  are  weighed  in  the  balance. 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  17 


"  Famine  and  pestilence  are  at  the  gates,  and  the  con- 
science-stricken nation  will  almost  fear  to  see  the  '  writing 
on  the  wall.' 

"  We  are  forced  to  confess  that,  whether  it  be  the  fault 
of  our  laws  or  our  men,  this  new  act  in  the  terrible  drama 
has  not  been  met  as  humanity  and  common-sense  would 
enjoin.  The  result  was  quite  within  the  scope  of  calcula- 
tion, and  even  of  care." 

Miscalculation,  and  want  of  care,  are  terms  far  too  mild 
to  apply  to  such  wanton  negligence  as  resulted  in  the 
immediate  sacrifice  of  upwards  of  25,000  souls,  four  fifths 
of  whom  fell  upon  their  way  to  Canada.  From  the  report 
issued  at  the  end  of  the  season,  it  appears  that,  of  the 
98,105  (of  whom  60,000  were  Irish)  that  were  shipped  for 
Quebec, 

There  died  at  sea,  5,293 

At  Grosse  Isle  and  Quebec,  8,072 

In  and  above  Montreal,  7,000 

Making  20,365, 

besides  those  w^ho  afterwards  perished,  whose  number  can 
never  be  ascertained.  Allowing  an  average  of  300  per- 
sons to  each,  200  vessels  were  employed  in  the  trans- 
mission to  Canada  of  Irish  emigrants  alone  ;  and  each  of 
these  vessels  lost  one  third  of  her  living  cargo  ere  she 
again  set  sail  upon  her  return  to  Europe. 

If  we  suppose  those  60,000  persons  to  be  an  army  on 
iheir  way  to  invade  some  hostile  power,  how  serious  would 
appear  the  loss  of  one  third  of  their  number  before  a 
battle  was  fought  ?  Yet  the  40,000  who  landed  upon  the 
Canadian  shores  had  to  fight  many  a  deadly  battle  before 
2* 


18  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

they  could  find  peace  or  rest.  Or,  in  order  to  make  the 
matter  sensible  to  those  who  know  the  value  of  money 
better  than  of  human  life,  let  us  multiply  20,000  by  5,  the 
cost  in  pounds  sterling  of  the  passage  of  each  individual, 
and  we  perceive  a  loss  of  £100,000,  or  $500,000  dollars. 
But  it  may  be  thought  that  the  immolation  of  so  many 
wretched  starvelings  was  rather  a  benefit  than  a  loss  to  the 
world.  It  may  be  so.  Yet — untutored,  degraded,  fam- 
ished, and  plague-stricken,  as  they  were  ;  I  assert  that  there 
was  more  true  heroism,  more  faith,  more  forgiveness  to 
their  enemies,  and  submission  to  the  Divine  Will,  exem- 
plified in  these  victims,  than  could  be  found  in  ten  times 
the  number  of  their  oppressors. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Each  moment  plays 
His  little  weapon  in  the  narrower  sphere 
Of  sweet  domestic  comfort,  and  cuts  down 
The  fairest  bloom  of  sublunary  bliss. 
Bliss— sublunary  bliss  ;  — proud  words  and  vain, 
Implicit  treason  to  divine  decree, 
A  bold  invasion  of  the  rights  of  heaven, 
I  clasp'd  the  phantoms,  and  I  found  them  air. 
O,  had  I  weighed  it  ere  my  fond  embrace, 
What  darts  of  agony  had  miss'd  my  soul. 

YOUKG. 

.  May  %Oth,  1847. 

Many  and  deep  are  the  wounds  that  the  sensitive  heart 
inflicts  upon  its  possessor,  as  he  journeys  through  life's 
pilgrimage ;  but  on  few  occasions  are  they  so  acutely  felt, 
as  when  one  is  about  to  part  from  those  who  formed  a 
portion  of  his  existence ;  deeper  still  pierces  the  pang  as 
the  idea  presents  itself  that  the  separation  may  be  for  ever; 
but  when  one  feels  a  father's  nervous  grasp, —  a  dear  sis- 
ter's tender,  sobbing  embrace ;  and  the  eye  wanders 
around  the  apartment  drinking  in  each  familiar  object, 
until  it  rests  upon  the  vacant  chair  which  she  who  nursed 
his  helpless  infancy  was  wont  to  occupy,  then  the  agony 
he  wishes  to  conceal  becomes  insupportable.  But  as  the 
skilful  surgeon  tears  off  the  bandage  which  the  hand  of 
aflfection  gently  withdraws  from  the  wound, —  thereby  un- 
consciously inflicting  greater  pain  ;  so  it  is  better  not  to 
linger  upon  the  affecting  scene  ;  but  rush  suddenly  away. 

It  was  a  charming  morning  on  which  I  left  dear  old  Ire- 


20  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

land;  —  the  balmy  new-born  day,  in  all  the  freshness  of 
early  summer,  was  gladdened  by  the  beams  of  the  sun 
which  rose  above  the  towers  of  the  city,  sunk  in  undisturb- 
ed repose.  It  was  a  morning  calculated  to  inspire  the  droop- 
ing soul  with  hope  ;  auguring  future  happiness. 

Too  soon  I  arrived  at  the  quay,  and  left  my  last  foot- 
print on  my  native  land.  The  boat  pushed  oft",  and  in  a 
few  minutes  I  was  on  board  the  brig  that  was  to  waft  me 
across  the  wide  Adanlic. 

There  was  not  a  soul  on  deck  ;  but  presently  the  grizzled 
head  of  the  captain  was  protruded  from  the  cabin  ;  and 
from  the  uninviting  aspect  of  his  face  I  feared  that  he 
would  prove  an  unsocial  companion  for  a  long  voyage. 
He  received  me  as  kindly  as  his  stubborn  nature  wf)uld 
allow ;  and  I  was  forced  to  admire  the  manly  dignity  of 
the  rude  tar,  when,  from  the  bent  attitude  he  was  obliged 
to  assume  while  ascending  the  companion  ladder,  he 
stood  upright  on  the  deck.  The  sailors  now  issued  from 
the  forecastle,  and  the  mate  came  up  and  introduced  him- 
self to  me. 

The  captain  having  given  the  word  to  weigh  anchor,  a 
bustle  immediately  arose  throughout  the  vessel ;  the  sea- 
men promptly  proceeded  to  their  work,  with  apparent  pleas- 
ure ;  although  (being  the  Sabbath)  they  did  not  accompa- 
ny the  action  with  the  usual  chant.  The  chain  having 
become  entangled  in  the  cables  of  some  fishing  boats,  it 
was  a  considerable  while  before  the  anchor  was  hoisted. 
At  length,  the  top-sails  were  unreefed,  and  our  bark  glided 
through  the  beauteous  bay. 

In  a  short  time  we  rounded  the  promontory  of  Howth  ; 
having  taken  the  north  channel  as  the  wind  was  southerly. 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  21 

The  captain  then  led  mc  down  lo  the  cabin  for  break- 
fast, and  introduced  me  to  his  wife,  who,  he  informed 
me,  always  accompanied  him  to  sea,  and  whom  I  shall  for 
the  future  designate  as  the  mistress,  —  as  by  that  term  she 
was  known  to  both  crew  and  passengers.  Feeling  an  in- 
clination towards  squeamishness,  and  being  much  more 
sick  at  heart,  I  retired  to  my  state-room  !  and  lying  down 
upon  the  berth,  fell  into  a  dreamy  slumber,  in  which  I 
remained  until  aroused  ;  when  I  found  it  was  late  in  the 
afternoon,  and  tea  was  ready.  I  felt  somewhat  revived  by 
the  grateful  beverage;  and  accompanied  the  captain  on 
deck.  We  were  off  Carlingford,  and  the  mountains  of 
Mourne.  The  passengers  were  cooking  their  evening 
meal  at  their  fires  upon  the  fore-deck;  and  the  sailors 
discussing  their  coffee  in  the  forecastle.  I  endeavored  to 
enter  into  conversatio^i  with  the  captain,  but  he  was  pro- 
vokingly  taciturn ;  however,  we  were  soon  joined  by  the 
mistress,  who  was  not  unwilling  to  make  up  for  her  hus- 
band's deficiency.  The  sun  set;  and  twilight  subsided 
into  darkness ;  a  cold  night  breeze  also  told  that  it  was 
time  to  go.  below. 

Monday,  May  31st. 

I  rose  early,  and  inhaled  the  fresh  morning  air.  We 
made  good  progress  during  the  night,  and  the  bold  cliffs  of 
the  coast  of  Antrim  were  visible  on  one  hand,  the  Scotch 
shore  on  the  other.  At  8,  A.  M.,  the  bell  rang  for  break- 
fast, and  I  took  my  seat  opposite  the  captain.  The  mis- 
tress sat  in  an  arm-chair,  and  the  mate  on  a  stool  next  me, 
completing  the  cabin  circle.  We  were  attended  by  Simon 
the  cabin-boy,  whom  at  first  sight  I  took  to  be  a  "  darky." 

His  face  was  coated  with  smoke  and  soot,  streaked  by 


22  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

the  perspiration  that  trickled  from  his  brow,  which  was 
surmounted  by  a  thicket  of  short,  wiry  black  hair,  standing 
on  end ;  his  lustreless  brown  eyes  I  cannot  better  describe 
than  by  borrowing  a  Yankee  illustration  :  they  were  "  like 
two  glass  balls  lighted  by  weak  rush  lights;"  —  his  lips 
were  thick,  straight,  and  colorless ;  his  complexion,  (when 
unveiled)  was  a  grimy  yellow  ;  —  and  the  expression  of 
his  wide  flat  face,  idiotic.  He  wore  a  red  flannel  shirt, 
and  loose  blue  pilot  trowsers ;  but  neither  shoes,  nor 
stockings ;  his  movements  were  slow,  except  at  meals, 
when  he  seemed  to  regain  his  suspended  animation  ;  and 
it  was  a  goodly  sight  to  see  him  gulping  coffee,  bolting 
dodges  of  fat  pork,  and  crunching  hard  biscuit,  as  raven- 
ously as  a  hungry  bear. 

No  two  specimens  of  human  nature  could  possibly  pre- 
sent more  striking  contrasts  than  Simon  and  his  fellow- 
apprentice  Jack.  The  latter  was  about  15  years  of  age, 
remarkably  small  and  active.  Squirrel  never  climbed  tree 
more  nimbly  than  Jack  could  go  aloft ;  and  in  the  accom- 
plishments of  chewing  and  smoking  he  might  compete 
with  the  oldest  man  aboard  ;  his  fair  skin  was  .set  off  by 
rosy  cheeks  ;  and  his  sparkling  blue  eyes  beamed  with  — 
devilment.  He  was  a  favorite  of  every  one  except  the 
mistress,  with  whom  his  pranks  did  not  pass,  being  there- 
fore exempt  from  the  menial  offices  of  cabin  boy,  which 
devolved  upon  Simon  ;  his  principal  amusement  consisted 
in  persecuting  that  genius. 

The  mate  was  a  very  little  man,  not  more  than  five  feet 
high  ;  but  in  excellent  condition,  as  seamen  generally  are; 
he  was  lame  in  one  leg ;  which  deformity  he  took  great 
pains  to  hide ;  causing  a  constrained  limp  that  was  ex- 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  23 

tremely  ludicrous ;  he  was  well-looking,  and  sported  a 
capacious  pair  of  black  whiskers,  the  outline  of  which  he 
frequently  altered.  He  had  been  a  "  captain,"  but  unfortu- 
nately, loving  the  bottle,  he  lost  his  "caste."  There  existed 
little  confidence  between  him  and  the  captain  ;  arid  both 
being  of  a  warm  temperament,  there  were  occasional 
symptoms  of  collision ;  but  they  were  prevented  from 
ending  in  open  rupture  by  the  timely  interference  of  the 
misti-ess,  on  whom  the  captain  would  let  loose  his  wrath, 
which  though  expressed  in  no  gentle  terms,  she  bore  with 
exemplary  patience. 

The  mistress  was  small,  ruddy,  and  sun-burnt ;  having 
seen  some  sixty  winters,  forty  of  which  she  had  spent  at 
sea, — generally  in  the  home  trade;  but  varied  occasionally 
by  a  voyage  to  Russia,  or  to  America.  She  was  in  the 
habit  of  keeping  a  private  log,  in  which  she  noted  the 
incidents  of  her  travels.  I  was  allowed  to  look  into  this 
interesting  production,  which  amused  me  no  less  by  the 
originality  of  the  orthography,  than  its  elegance  of  diction. 
Being  a  native  of  Cumberland,  her  pronunciation  was 
not  particularly  euphonious;  she  also,  when  addressing  her 
husband,  the  mate,  and  all  familiar  acquaintances,  used 
the  terms  "  thee  "  and  "  thou,"  invariably  reversing  their 
grammatical  order. 

Tuesday,  June  1st. 

After  breakfast,  the  mate  invited  me  to  see  the  depot  of 
provisions.  I  accordingly  followed  him,  descending  by  a 
ladder  into  an  apartment  partitioned  off  from  the  hold,  and 
dividing  it  from  the  cabin. 

By  the  light  from  the  lantern  I  perceived  a  number  of 
sacks,  which  were  filled  with  oatmeal  and  biscuit.     The 


24  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


mate  having  proceeded  to  prepare  the  passengers'  rations 
for  distribution,  I  sat  down  upon  one  of  the  sacks,  from 
beneath  which  suddenly  issued  a  groan.  I  jumped  up^ 
quite  at  a  loss  to  account  for  the  strange  sound,  and  looked 
at  the  mate,  in  .order  to  discover  what  he  thought  of  it.  He 
seemed  somewhat  surprised ;  but  in  a  moment  removed 
two  or  three  sacks  ;  and  lo  !  there  was  a  man  crouched  up 
in  a  corner.  As  he  had  not  seen  him  before,  the  mate  at 
once  concluded  that  he  was  a  "stowaway,"  so  giving  him 
a  shake  to  make  him  stand  upright,  he  ordered  him  to 
mount  the  ladder,  bestowing  a  kick  upon  the  poor  wretch 
to  accelerate  his  tardy  ascent. 

The  captain  was  summoned  from  below,  and  a  council 
immediately  held  for  the  trial  of  the  prisoner,  who  con- 
fessed, that  not  having  enough  of  money  to  pay  for  his 
passage,  he  bribed  the  watchman  employed  to  prevent  the 
possibility  of  such  an  occurrence.  He  had  been  concealed 
for  three  days,  but  at  night  made  his  way  into  the  hold, 
through  a  breach  in  the  partition  :  his  presence  was  there- 
fore known  to  some  of  the  passengers.  He  had  no  clothes 
but  the  rags  he  wore ;  nor  had  he  any  provisions.  To 
decide  what  was  to  be  done  with  him  was  now  the  con- 
sideration, but  the  captain  hastily  terminated  the  delibera- 
tion, by  swearing  that  he  should  be  thrown  overboard. 
The  wretched  creature  was  quite  discomfited  by  the 
captain's  wrath,  and  earnestly  begged  for  forgiveness.  It 
was  eventually  settled  that  he  should  be  landed  upon  the 
first  island  at  which  we  should  touch ;  with  which  decision 
he  appeared  to  be  quite  satisfied.  He  said  that  he  was 
willing  to  work  for  his  support;  but  the  captain  swore 
determinedly  that  he  should  not  taste  one  pound  of  the 


i 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  25 

ship's  provision.  He  was  therefore  left  to  the  lender  mer- 
cies of  his  fellow-passengers. 

In  consequence  of  this  discovery,  there  was  a  general 
muster  in  the  afternoon,  affording  me  an  opportunity  of 
seeing  all  the  emigrants;  and  a  more  motley  crowd  I  never 
beheld;  —  of  all  ages,  from  the  infant  to  the  feeble  grand- 
sire  and  withered  crone. 

While  they  were  on  deck,  the  hold  w^as  searched,  but 
without  any  further  discovery,  no  one  having  been  found 
below  but  a  boy,  who  was  unable  to  leave  his  berth,  from 
debility.  Many  of  them  appeared  to  me  to  be  quite  unfit 
lo  undergo  the  hardship  of  a  long  voyage;  but  they  were 
inspected  and  passed  by  a  doctor,  although  the  captain,  as 
he  informed  me,  protested  against  taking  some  of  them. 
One  old  man  was  so  infirm,  that  he  seemed  lo  me  to  be 
in  the  last  stage  of  consumption. 

The  next  matter  to  be  accomplished  was  to  regulate  the 
allowance  of  provisions  to  which  each  family  was  entitled. 
One  pound  of  meal  or  of  bread  being  allowed  for  each 
adult, —  half  a  pound  for  each  individual  under  fourteen 
years  of  age,-: — and  one  third  of  a  pound  for  each  child 
under  seven  years.  Thus,  although  there  were  110  souls, 
great  and  small,  they  counted  as  84  adults.  That  was, 
therefore,  the  number  of  pounds  to  be  issued  daily.  On 
coming  on  board,  provisions  for  a  week  were  distributed; 
but  as  they  wasted  them  most  improvidently,  they  had  to 
be  served  again  to-day.  The  mate  consequently  deter- 
mined to  give  out  the  day's  rations  every  morning. 

Wednesday,  June  2iid. 
We  made  but  little  progress  during  the  night,  and  were 


26  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

Still  in  the  channel,  within  sight  of  the  Mull  of  Cantire, 
and  the  northern  shore  of  Ireland. 

Having  but  a  few  boolcs  with  me,  I  seized  upon  a  greasy 
old  volume  of  sundry  magazines,  which  I  found  in  the 
cabin.  I  also  commenced  the  study  of  a  book  of  naviga- 
tion. These,  varied  with  the  Book  of  books,  Shakgpeare, 
and  Maunders  Treasuries,  kept  me  free  from  ennui. 
When  tired  of  reading,  I  had  ample  scope  for  observation. 

The  mistress  spent  the  forenoon  fishing,  and  the  after- 
noon in  curing  the  mackerel  and  gurnet  she  caught.  We 
had  some  at  tea,  when  I  met  with  a  deprivation  I  had 
not  anticipated  ;  —  there  was  no  milk  !  and  I  did  not  at  all 
relish  my  tea  without  it.  One  cup  was  quite  enough  for 
me;  but  I  soon  became  habituated  to  it.  Having  rounded 
the  long  promontory  of  Donegal,  the  outline  of  the  shore 
became  indistinct ;  and  making  our  calculations  not  to  see 
land  again  for  som-e  time,  the  male  took  his  "  departure  " 
from  Malin  Head. 


CHAPTER  11. 

Koll  on,  thou  dark  and  deep  bine  ocean,  roll ! 


BTRON. 


June  3d. 

When  I  came  on  deck  this  morning,  I  found  that  we 
were  sailing  upon  the  bosom  of  the  broad  Atlantic,  no  object 
being  visible  to  relieve  the  vast  expanse  of  water  and  sky, 
except  the  glorious  sun ;  and  as  I  turned  my  eyes  from  the 
survey  of  the  distant  horizon,  and  fixed  them  upon  the 
little  bark  that  wafted  us,  a  sensation  akin  to  that  of  the 
"  Ancient  Mariner"  possessed  my  mind. 

"  Alone,  alone,  all,  all  alone, 
Alone  on  a  wide,  wide  sea." 

As  the  boy  who  was  unable  to  attend  the  muster  still 
continued  ill,  and  was  reported  to  be  feverish,  the  mistress 
and  I  reviewed  the  medicine  chest.  We  found  it  to  con- 
tain a  jar  of  castor  oil,  epsom  salts,  laudanum,  hartshorn, 
&c. ;  also  a  book  of  directions,  which  were  by  no  means 
explicit,  and  they  so  perplexed  the  mistress,  even  with  the 
aid  of  her  spectacles,  that  as  she  was  nothing  the  wiser  of 
the  study,  she  resolved  to  trust  to  her  own  experience  in 
the  concoction  of  a  dose.  The  mate  took  his  first  observa- 
tion at  noon;  and  as  he  stood  peering  through  the  eye-hole 
of  the  quadrant,  he  reminded  me  forcibly  of  poor  old  uncle 
Sol's  little  midshipman. 


THE   OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


The  passengers'  fire-places,  upon  either  side  of  the 
fore-deck,  furnished  endless  scenes,  sometimes  of  noisy 
merriment,  at  others  of  quarrels.  The  fire  was  contained 
in  a  large  wooden  case,  lined  with  bricks  and  shaped 
something  like  an  old-fashioned  settee;  the  coals  being 
confined  by  two  or  three  iron  bars  in  front.  From  morn- 
ing till  evening  they  were  surrounded  by  groups  of  men, 
women  and  children ;  some  making  "  stirabout,"  in  all 
kinds  of  vessels,  and  others  baking  cakes  upon  extempo- 
rary griddles.  These  cakes  were  generally  about  two 
inches  thick,  and  when  baked  were  encased  in  a  burnt 
crust  coated  with  smoke,  being  actually  raw  in  the  centre. 
Such  was  the  unvaried  food  of  the  greater  number  of  these 
poor  creatures.  A  few  of  them,  who  seemed  to  be  better 
off,  had  herrings,  or  bacon.  The  meal  with  which  they 
were  provided  was  of  very  bad  quality ;  —  this  they  had 
five  days ;  and  biscuit,  v/hich  was  good,  two  days  in  the 
week. 

rriday,  June  4th. 

The  sailors  and  apprentices  were  (as  the  mate  expressed 
it  in  his  log)  variously  employed,-^  mending  sails,  tarring 
ropes,  spinning  yarns,  &c.  Sailors  sit  and  sew  very  differ- 
ently from  tailors;  instead  of  doubling  up  their  legs  under 
them,  they  stretch  them  out  straight  before  them  as  they  sit 
upon  the  deck.  Their  thimble  is  also  peculiar,  not  being 
worn  on  the  top  of  the  finger,  but  upon  the  ball  of  the 
thumb,  to  which  it  is  fastened  by  a  leather  strap,  buckled 
round  the  wrist.  I  was  surprised  at  the  expedition  and 
neatness  with  which  they  sewed,  with  their  coarse  needles 
and  long  threads. 

Jack  created  some  diversion  by  daubing  a  "  gossoon's  " 


I 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  29 

face  with  tar,  and  shaving  him  with  a  rusty  knife.  It  was 
exhilarating  to  hear  the  children's  merry  laughter;  —  poor 
little  things,  they  seemed  quite  reconciled  with  their  situa- 
tion !  I  learned  that  many  of  these  emigrants  had  never 
seen  the  sea  nor  a  ship,  until  they  were  on  board.  They 
were  chiefly  from  the  county  Meath,  and  sent  out  at  the 
expense  of  their  landlord,  without  any  knowledge  of  the 
country  to  which  they  were  going,  or  means  of  livelihood, 
except  the  labor  of  the  father  of  each  family.  All  they 
knew  concerning  Canada  was,  that  they  were  to  land  in 
Quebec,  and  to  go  up  the  country  ;  moreover,  they  had  a 
settled  conviction  that  the  voy^e  was  to  last  exactly  three 
weeks.  In  addition  to  these  there  were  a  few  who  were 
going  to  try  their  fortunes  on  their  own  account.  One  of 
the  latter  was  a  Connaught  "  boy,"  who  having  lived  upon 
the  coast  and  spent  his  time  partly  in  fishing,  made  himself 
useful  about  the  brig,  and  thereby  ingratiated  himself  into 
favor  with  the  captain,  and  the  consequent  jealousy  of  his 
fellow-passengers,  who,  thinking  him  rather  soft,  took 
pleasure  in  teasing  him.  Two  young  men  from  Kilkenny, 
and  one  from  the  county  Clare,  completed  the  list.  The 
former  used  to  astonish  the  Meath-men  with  the  triple 
wonders  of  their  native  city. 

Saturday,  June  5th. 

As  the  passengers  had  a  great  inclination  to  infringe 
upon  the  after-deck,  the  captain  drew  a  line,  the  penalty 
for  crossing  which  was  the  stoppage  of  a  day's  water. 

I  observed  the  sea  to  be  crowded  with  myriads  of  slimy 
looking  objects,  which  the  sailors  called  "slobbs."  They 
varied  in  size,  form,  and  color ;  some  of  them  resembling 
a  lemon  cut  in  half.     How  beautiful  also  was  the  lumi- 


30  THE   OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

nous  appearance  of  the  water  at  night,  which  I  delighted 
to  watch,  as  we  glided  through  the  liquid  fire. 

Nor  was  it  less  pleasing  to  observe  the  "  Portuguese  men 
of  war,"  with  their  tiny  sails  set  to  the  breeze,  and  sur- 
mounting the  crests  of  the  rolling  billows.  I  had  a  rum- 
mage through  the  charts,  and  enjoyed  a  practical  lecture 
upon  them,  with  illustrative  lectures  by  the  mistress,  enliv- 
ened, by  way  of  episode,  with  occasional  contradictions 
by  the  captain,  who  with  rule  and  compass  traced  our 
progress  daily  upon  the  great  chart  of  the  North  Atlantic 
ocean.  We  had  two  ships  in  company  with  us  all  the 
day  ;  but  they  were  too  distant  to  distinguish  their  names. 
One  of  the  passengers  having  thrown  the  Connaughtman's 
hat  overboard,  the  captain  gave  him  a  blue  and  while 
striped  night-cap,  with  which  on  his  head  he  strutted  about, 
much  to  the  amusement  of  the  youngsters,  one  of  whom 
attached  a  rope  to  the  tail  of  his  coat ;  this  he  dragged  after 
him  for  some  time,  until  Jack  changed  the  scene  by  cut- 
ting the  tail  off.  When  Paddy  discovered  his  loss,  he  was 
outrageous,  and  made  a  grievous  complaint  to  the  mate, 
who  doctored  the  coat  by  abstracting  the  other  tail,  thereby 
transforming  the  garment  into  a  jacket.  When  the  matter 
came  to  the  captain's  ears,  he  presented  Paddy  with  an  old 
pilot  jacket,  which  made  a  great  coat  for  him  ;  he  was 
therefore  no  loser  by  the  affair. 

Sunday,  June  6th. 

The  favorable  breeze  that  carried  us  out  of  the  channel 
having  forsaken  us,  the  little  progress  we  made  was  gained 
by  tacking,  which  kept  the  sailors  constantly  employed. 
The  passengers  were  dressed  in  their  best  clothes ;  and  pre- 
sented a  better  appearance  than  I  expected.  The  sailors  also 
donned  their  holiday  toggery  in  the  afternoon. 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  31 

A  group  of  young  men  being  at  a  loss  for  amusement, 
began  to  wrestle  and  play  "  pitch  and  toss ; "  but  the  m.ate 
soon  put  a  stop  to  their  diversions ;  at  which  they  grum- 
bled, saying  that  "  they  did'nt'think  that  Mr.  Mate  would 
be  so  hard." 

Very  few  of  them  could  read  ;  neither  did  they  seem  to 
have  any  regard  for  the  sanctity  of  the  Sabbath.  In  the 
evening  they  had  prayers  in  the  hold  ;  and  were  divided 
into  two  parties, —  those  who  spoke  Irish,  and  those  who 
did  not ;  each  section  having  a  leader,  who  gabbled  in 
his  respective  language  a  number  of  "  Paters  and.  Aves," 
as  quickly  as  the  devotees  could  count  their  beads. 

After  these  religious  exercises  they  came  upon  deck, 
and  spent  the  remainder  of  the  day  jesting,  laughing,  and 
singing. 

We  had  a  clear  and  beautiful  sunset;  from  which  the 
captain  prognosticated  an  easterly  wind. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Thou  shalt  not  be  afraid  for  any  terror  by  night,  nor  for  the  arrow  that  flieth 
by  day ;  for  the  pesti'ence  that  walketh  in  darkness,  nor  for  the  sickness  that 
destroyeth  in  the  noon-day.  —  psalms  of  datid. 

June  7th. 

The  passengers  elected  four  men  to  govern  their  com- 
monvveahh,  the  principal  of  whom  had  the  title  of  "  Head 
committee."  The  other  three  being  inactive,  the  sole 
authority  was  wielded  by  him,  much  to  the  terror  of  the 
little  boys,  who  were  often  uproarious,  and  to  keep  whom 
in  order  he  frequently  administered  the  "cat." 

The  other  duties  of  this  functionary  consisted  in  seeing 
that  the  hold  was  kept  clean  ;  in  preventing  smoking  below, 
settling  differences,  &c.  He  was  also  the  medium  of  com- 
munication with  the  "  other  house,"  he  and  Paddy  alone 
being  permitted  to  go  aft. 

.Tuesday,  June  8th., 
We  steered  a  southward  course,  but  gained  very  little 
longitude. 

The  two  ships  were  again  in  sight ;  one  was  the  Tamer- 
lane of  Aberistwyth  ;  the  other  the  Virginius  of  Liverpool ; 
both  fine  vessels,  with  passengers. 

The  head  committee  reported  that  two  women  were  ill ; 
they  were  therefore  dosed  according  to  the  best  skill  of  the 
mistress,  who  was  desirous  of  going  into  the  hold  to  see 
them  ;  but  the  captain  peremptorily  desired  her  upon  no 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  33 


account  to  do  so ;  and  kept  a   sharp   lookout,  that  she 
might  not  visit  them  unknown  to  him. 

The  boy,  whom  nothing  ailed  but  sea-sickness  and 
fatigue,  had  recovered.  1  saw  him  upon  deck,  —  a  miser- 
able looking  little  animal,  with  a  huge  misshapen  head, 
sallow,  lantern-jaws,  and  glassy  eyes;  —  apparently  about 
twelve  years  of  age ;  but  his  father  said  that  he  was  twenty. 
I  could  scarcely  credit  him,  but  was  assured  of  the  fact  by 
his  neighbours,  who  said  that  he  always  had  the  same 
emaciated  appearance,  although  he  never  before  com- 
plained of  illness.  He  went  by  the  name  of  "  The  little 
shoemaker." 

Wednesday,  June  9th. 

As  we  were  seated  at  dinner,  in  the  cabin,  discussing  a 
savory  dish  of  "  Lobscouse "  made  by  the  mistress,  we 
were  alarmed  by  the  shouting  of  men,  and  screaming  of 
women. 

We  hurried  on  deck,  thinking  that  some  one  was  over- 
board, and  judge  of  our  terror,  when  we  saw  the  fore  part 
of  the  brig  in  a  blaze.  All  hands  having  assisted,  a  plen- 
tiful supply  of  water  in  a  short  time  subdued  the  fire, 
which  extended  no  further  than  the  caboose ;  it  arose  from 
the  negligence  of  Simon,  who  fell  asleep,  leaving  a  lighted 
candle  stuck  against  the  boards.  This  was  the  only  bril- 
liant act  of  which  he  was  guilty  during  the  voyage,  and  as 
a  reward  for  which  the  mate  bestowed  upon  him  a  rope's 
end. 

Thursday,  June  10th. 

The  only  incidents  of  the  day  were,  breakfast,  dinner, 
and  supper,  —  the  meridional  observation,  and  the  tempo- 
rary stir  consequent  on  the  captain  coming  upon  deck  after 
3 


34  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

a  "  snooze,"  and  shouting  out  " 'bout  ship."  Sonne  more 
cases  of  ilhiess  were  reported  ;  and  the  mistress  was  kept 
busy  mixing  medicine,  and  making  drinks ;  hoping  that  by 
early  attention  the  sickness  might  be  prevented  from 
spreading. 

Friday,  June  11th. 
As  I  was  pacing  the  deck  in  the  afternoon,  I  observed 
one  of  the  passengers,  —  a  well  looking  man,  with  fine 
brown  eyes,  timidly  approach  me.  After  looking  about 
him,  to  assure  himself  that  the  captain  was  below,  he 
doffed  his  hat  and  addressed  me  as  follows :  "  I  beg  your 
honor's  pardon,  but  I  hope  it's  no  offence."  Having  told 
him  that  he  had  given  me  none,  he  proceeded,  —  "Well 
then  master,  is'nt  it  mighty  quare  intirely,  and  how  can  the 
likes  of  us  know  the  differ;  but  I  hope  your  honor  it's  all 
right?  "  I  replied  that  I  was  not  aware  of  any  thing  being 
wrong,  and  desired  him  to  say  what  was  the  danger  he 
feared,  which  caused  him  to  ask ;  "  Aragh !  why  thin  are  we 
goin  back  to  ould  Ireland  ?  "  I  demanded  his  reason  for 
such  a  supposition ;  when  after  scratching  his  head,  and 
casting  a  glance  towards  the  cabin,  looking  rather  per- 
plexed, he  went  on,  "  That  little  gossoon  of  mine,  your 
honor,  —  a  mighty  smart  chap  he  is  too,  and  a  great 
scholiar  entirely,  he  tould  us,  —  but  faitji !  I  dunno  how  to 
believe  him,  —  though  he  got  his  larnin  at  the  national 
school,  and  can  cast  up  figures  equal  to  the  agint,  and  can 
read  the  whole  side  of  a  book  without  stoppin,  —  he  says 
sir,  —  that  the  sun,  God  bless  it,  sets  in  the  wist."  Here 
he  paused  and  looked  earnestly  at  me,  as  if  for  a  confir- 
mation of  the  fact.  I  therefore  said  that  the  boy's  knowl- 
edge was  pretty  accurate.     Seeming  encouraged,  he  con- 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  35 


tinued  — "  Moreover  than  that,  he  says  that  Ameriky, 
where  we  all  are  goin  to,  if  the  Ahuighty  God  spares  us, 
(here  he  crossed  himself)  glory  be  to  his  name !  it's' in  the 
wist  of  the  world  too."  He  again  paused,  and  looked 
enquiringly.  "  Well,"  said  I,  "  he  is  pretty  right  there  also, 
America  is  west  from  Ireland."  "  Then  master,  here's 
what  we  want  to  come  at,  you  see.  If  Ameriky  is  in  the 
wist,  musn't  the  sun  set  in  it, —  then  why  is  it,  your  honor, 
that  instead  of  followin  it,  we're  runnin  away  from  it  as 
hard  as  we  can  lick?"  Such  was  the  fact, —  a  fresh 
northerly  breeze  compelling  us  to  bear  to  the  south-east.  I 
now  saw  the  nature  of  the  problem  he  wished  to  have 
solved,  and  explained  the  matter  as  explicitly  as  I  possibly 
could  ;  but  it  was  some  time  before  he  comprehended  me. 
At  length  he  seemed  to  become  enlightened  on  the  subject, 
for,  giving  his  thigh  a  slap  of  his  open  palm,  he  ex- 
claimed, "Och!  by  the  powers,  I  see  it  all  now;  it's  as 
plain  as  a  pike-staff;  and  I'm  sure  I'm  obleeged  to  your 
honor,  and  so  is  the  gossoon  too.  —  Oh,  that  divil's  clip,  — 
Jack ;  wait  till  I  ketch  him.  If  I  don't  murder  him  it's  no 
matter.  What  do  you  think  your  honor,  he  tould  the  little 
chap,  when  he  axed  him  all  about  it  ?  '  Why,'  says  he, 
'  sure  we're  goin  back  again  for  the  mistress'  nittin  needles, 
that  she  forgot.'  So  as  he  wouldn't  tell  him,  nor  none  of 
the  sailors,  I  made  bould  to  ax  your  honor,  as  the  little 
chap  was  loth  to  make  so  free." 

On  the  conclusion  of  the  dialogue.  Jack,  —  who  was 
over  our  heads,  in  the  shrouds,  —  burst  into  a  hearty  fit  of 
laughter.  In  which  I  could  not  but  participate,  when  I 
noticed  the  comicality  of  the  arch  sailor-boy's  appearance, 
and   the   simplicity  of   ray  interlocutor,  who,  hearing  the 


36 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


captain's  heavy  step  coming  up  the  ladder,  hastily  retired, 
vowing  vengeance  upon  Jack. 

Saturday,  June  12th. 

I  amused  myself  taking  a  sketch  of  the  cabin  "  inte- 
rior." It  was  about  ten  feet  square,  and  so  low  that  the 
only  part  of  it  in  which  the  captain  could  stand  upright, 
was  under  the  skylight.  At  either  side  was  a  berth  ;  both 
of  which  were  filled  with  the  mistress'  boxes,  the  captain's 
old  clothes,  old  sails,  and  sundry  other  articles,  which  were 
there  slowed  away,  and  concealed  from  view  by  chintz 
curtains,  trimmed  with  white  cotton  fringe.  The  ceiling 
was  garnished  with  numerous  charts  rolled  up,  and  con- 
fined by  tapes  running  from  beam  to  beam ;  from  one  of 
which,  —  carefully  covered  by  a  cotton  handkerchief, — 
was  suspended  the  captain's  new  hat.  A  small  recess 
above  the  table  contained  a  couple  of  wine  glasses,  one  of 
them  minus  the  shank  ;  also  an  antique  decanter,  resting 
upon  an  old  quarto  prayer-book,  and  guarded  by  a  danger- 
ous looking  blunderbuss,  which  was  supported  by  two 
brass  hooks,  from  one  of  which  hung  a  small  bag  contain- 
ing the  captain's  spectacles,  rule,  pencil,  and  compass.  At 
each  side  of  this  recess  was  a  locker :  one  of  them  con- 
taining a  crock  of  butter,  and  another  of  eggs,  besides 
tobacco  and  soap ;  the  other  held  a  fine  Cheshire  cheese, 
a  little  keg  of  sprats,  and  other  articles  too  numerous  to 
mention.  An  unhappy  canary,  perched  within  a  rusty 
cage,  formed  a  pendant  from  the  centre  of  the  sky-light, 
but  a  much  more  pleasing  picture  decorated  one  of  the 
panels,  —  a  still-life,  admirably  delineating  an  enormous 
flitch  of  bacon,  which  daily  grew  —  less.  A  small  door  led 
into  the  captain's  state-room  ;  the  ceiling  of  which  was 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  37 

tastefully  ornamented  by  several  bunches  of  dipt  candles  ; 
while  the  narrow  shelves  groaned  under  the  weight  of, — 
jars  of  sugar,  preserves,  bottled  porter,  spices  and  the  other 
usual  necessaries  for  a  long  voyage.  I  was  disturbed  in 
the  progress  of  my  portraiture  by  the  mistress,  who  came 
down  to  warm  a  drink  at  the  stove,  for  some  of  the  sick 
folks.  The  two  women  who  first  became  ill,  were  said  to 
show  symptoms  of  bad  fever ;  and  additional  case's  of 
illness  were  reported  by  the  Head  committee.  The 
patients  begged  for  an  increased  allowance  of  water; 
which  could  not  be  granted,  as  the  supply  was  very 
scanty  ;  two  casks  having  leaked. 

Sunday,  June  13th. 

The  reports  from  the  hold  became  very  alarming ;  and 
the  mistress  was  occupied  all  day  attending  the  numerous 
calls  upon  her.  She  already  regretted  having  come  the 
voyage  ;  but  her  kind  heart  did  not  allow  her  to  consult 
her  ease.  When  she  appeared  upon  deck,  she  was  beset 
by  a  crowd  of  poor  creatures,  each  having  some  request  to 
make  ;  often  of  a  most  inconsiderate  kind,  and  few  of 
which  it  was  in  her  power  to  comply  with.  The  day  was 
cold  and  cheerless  ;  and  I  occupied  myself  reading  in  the 
cabin. 

]\Ionday,  June  14tli. 

The  Head  committee  brought  a  can  of  water  to  show 
it  to  the  captain :  it  was  quite  foul,  muddy,  and  bitter  from 
having  been  in  a  wine  cask.  When  allowed  to  settle  it 
became  clear,  leaving  considerable  sediment  in  the  bottom 
of  the  vessel ;  but  it  retained  its  bad  taste.  The  mate 
endeavoured  to  improve  it  by  trying  the  effect  of  charcoal, 
and  of  alum  ;  but  some  of  the  casks  were  beyond  remedy, 


3S 


THE   OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


and  the  contents,  when  pumped  out,  resembled  nauseous 
ditch  water.  There  were  now  eight  cases  of  serious  ill- 
ness; —  six  of  them  being  fever  and  two  dysentery;  — 
the  former  appeared  to  be  of  a  peculiar  character,  and  very 
alarming :  the  latter  disease  did  not  seem  to  be  so  violent 
in  degree. 

Tuesday,  June  15th. 

The  reports  this  morning  were  very  afflicting,  and  I  felt 
much,  that  I  was  unable  to  render  any  assistance  to  my 
poor  fellow-passengers.  The  captain  desired  the  mistress 
to  give  them  every  thing  out  of  his  own  stores  that  she 
considered  would  be  of  service  to  any  of  them.  He  felt 
much  alarmed ;  nor  was  it  to  be  wondered  at  that  con- 
tagious fever,  —  which  under  the  most  advantageous  cir- 
cumstances, and  under  the  watchfal  eyes  of  the  most  skil- 
ful physicians,  baffles  the  highest  ability,— should  terrify 
one  having  the  charge  of  so  many  human  beings,  likely  to 
fall  a  prey  to  the  unchecked  progress  of  the  dreadful  dis- 
ease ;  for  once  having  shown  itself  in  the  unventilated  hold 
of  a  small  brig,  containing  one  hundred  and  ten  living 
creatures,  how  could  it  possibly  be  stayed,  —  without  suit- 
able medicines,  medical  skill,  or  even  pure  water  to  slake 
the  patient's  burning  thirst  ? 

The  prospect  before  us  was  indeed  an  awful  one ;  and 
there  was  no  hope  for  us  but  in  the  mecry  of  God. 

Wednesday.  June  16th. 

The  past  night  was  very  rough,  and  1  enjoyed  little  rest. 
No  additional  cases  of  sickness  were  reported  :  but  there 
were  apparent  signs  of  insubordination  amongst  the  healthy 
men,  who  complained  of  starvation,  and  the  want  of  water 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  39 

to  make  drinks  for  their  sick  wives  and  children.  A  depu- 
tation came  aft  to  acquaint  the  captain  with  their  griev- 
ances, but  he  ordered  them  away,  and  would  not  listen 
lo  a  word  from  them.  When  he  went  below,  the  ring- 
leader threatened  that  they  would  break  into  the  provision 
store. 

The  mate  did  not  take  any  notice  of  the  threat,  but  re- 
peated to  me,  in  their  hearing,  an  anecdote  of  his  own 
experience  when  a  captain ;  showing  with  what  determi- 
nation he  suppressed  an  outbreak  in  his  vessel.  He  con- 
cluded by  alluding  to  cutlasses,  and  the  firearms  in  the 
cabin.  And  in  order  to  make  a  deeper  impression  on 
their  minds,  he  brought  up  the  old  blunderbuss,  from  which 
he  fired  a  shot,  the  report  of  which  was  equal  to  that  of  a 
small  cannon.  The  deputation  slunk  away,  muttering 
complaints. 

If  they  were  resolute,  they  might  easily  have  seized  up- 
on the  provisions.  In  fact,  I  was  surprised  how  famished 
men  could  so  patiently  bear  with  their  own,  and  their 
starved  children's  sufferings ;  but  the  captain  would  wil- 
lingly have  listened  to  them  if  it  were  in  his  power  to  re- 
lieve their  distress.  " 

Thursday,  Jane  I7th. 

Two  new  cases  of  fever  were  announced,  and  from 
the  representation  of  the  mate,  —  the  poor  creatures  in  the 
hold  were  in  a  shocking  state.  The  men  who  suffered 
from  dysentery  were  better;  the  mistress's  prescription  — 
flour  porridge  with  a  few  drops  of  laudanum  —  having 
given  them  relief.  The  requests  of  the  friends  of  the  fever 
patients  were  most  preposterous  ;  —  some  asking  for  beef, 
others  wine.     They  were  all  desirous  of  laudanum  being 


40 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


administered  to  them  in  order  to  procure  sleep  ;  but  we 
were  afraid  to  dispense  so  dangerous  a  remedy,  except 
with  extreme  caution.  Our  progress  was  almost  imper- 
ceptible, and  the  captain  began  to  grow  very  uneasy,  there 
being  at  the  rate  of  the  already  miserable  allowance  of 
food,  but  provisions  for  fifty  days.  It  also  now  became 
necessary  to  reduce  the  complement  of  water,  and  to  urge 
the  necessity  of  using  sea  water  in  cookery. 

Friday,  June  18th. 
The  fire-places  were  the  scenes  of  endless  contentions. 
The  sufferings  they  endured  appeared  to  embitter  the 
wretched  emigrants  one  against  another.  Their  quarrels 
were  only  ended  when  the  fires  were  extinguished,  at  7 
o'clock,  p.  m. ;  at  which  time  they  were  surrounded  by 
squabbling  groups,  preparing  their  miserable  evening  meal. 
They  would  not  leave  until  Jack  mounted  the  shrouds  of 
the  fore-mast,  and  precipitated  a  bucket  full  of  water  on 
each  fire  ;  when  they  snatched  up  their  pots  and  pans,  and, 
half  blinded  by  the  steam,  descended  into  the  hold,  with 
their  half  cooked  suppers.  Although  Jack  delighted  in 
teasing  them,  they  never  complained  of  his  pranks,  how- 
ever annoying. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

I  saw  the  seven  angels  which  stood  before  God ;  and  to  them  were  given 
seven  tiiimpets 

And  the  seven  angels  which  had  the  seven  trumpets  prepared  themselves  to 
sound 

And  the  seventh  angel  sounded 

And  tlic  sea  gave  up  the  dead  which  were  in  it ;  and  death  and  hell  delivered 
up  the  dead  which  were  in  them  :  and  they  were  judged  every  man.     .     .     . 

Revelatioxs. 

June  19th. 

A  shark  followed  us  all  the  day,  and  the  mate  said  it 
was  a  certain  forerunner  of  death.  The  cabin  was  like  an 
apothecary's  shop,  and  the  mistress  a  perfect  slave.  I  en- 
deavoured to  render  her  every  assistance  in  my  power. 
The  mate  also  was  indefatigable  in  his  exertions  to  alleviate 
the  miserable  lot  of  our  helpless  human  cargo.  Not 
having  seen  the  "  stowaway  "  on  deck  for  some  time,  upon 
inquiring  after  him,  I  learned  that  he  was  amongst  the 
sick,  and  was  very  bad ;  but  he  was  kindly  attended  by 
the  young  man  from  the  county  Clare,  who  devoted  him- 
self to  attending  the  afflicted,  some  of  whom  the  members 
of  their  own  families  neglected  to  take  care  of. 

Sunday,  June  20th. 

Having  hinted  to  the  captain  the  propriety  of  having 
divine  service  read  upon  the  Sabbath,  he  said  that  it  could 
not  be  done.  Indeed,  the  sailors  seldom  had  a  spare  mo- 
ment, and  as  to  the  mate,  L  often  wondered  how  he  got 
through  so  much  work.     This  day,  therefore,  had  no  mark 


42  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


to  distinguish  it  from  any  other.  The  poor  emigrants 
were  in  their  usual  squalid  attire ;  neither  did  the  crew 
rig  themselves  out  as  on  former  Sundays. 

All  were  dispirited,  and  a  cloud  of  melancholy  hung 
over  us. 

The  poor  mistress  deplored  that  she  could  not  get  an  op- 
portunity of, reading  her  Bible.  I  pitied  her  from  my 
heart ;  knowing  how  much  she  felt  the  distress  that  sur- 
rounded us,  and  her  anxiety  to  lighten  the  affliction  of  the 
passengers. 

Monday,  June  21st. 

I  was  surprised  at  the  large  allowance  of  food  served  out 
to  the  sailors.  They  had  each  1  1-2  lbs.  of  beef,  or  pork, 
daily,  besides  coffee,  and  as  much  biscuit  as  they  pleased ; 
but  it  being  a  temperance  vessel,  they  had  no  grog,  —  in 
lieu  of  which  they  got  lime-juice.  However,  there  was  a 
little  cask  of  brandy  in  a  corner  of  the  cabin ;  but  the  cap- 
tain was  afraid  to  broach  it,  knowing  the  mate's  propensi- 
ty. I  noticed  the  latter  often  casting  a  wistful  glance  at  it 
as  he  rose  from  dinner ;  and  he  did  not  fail  to  tell  me  that 
it  was  the  best  possible  preventive  against  the  fever. 

Tuesday,  June  22nd. 

One  of  the  sailors  was  unable  for  duty,  and  the  mate 
feared  he  had  the  fever. 

The  reports  from  the  hold  were  growing  even  more 
alarming,  and  some  of  the  patients  who  were  mending,  had 
relapsed.  One  of  the  women  was  every  moment  expected 
to  breathe  her  last,  and  her  friends,  —  an  aunt  and  cousins, 
—  were  inconsolable  about  her;  as  ihey  persuaded  her  to 
leave  her  father  and  mother,  and  come  with  them.     The 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  43 

mate  said  that  her  feet  were  swollen  to  double  their  natu- 
ral size,  and  covered  with  black  putrid  spots.  I  spent  a 
considerable  part  of  the  day  watching  a  shark  that  followed 
in  our  wake  with  great  constancy. 

"Wcdnesdtiy,  June  23d. 

At  breakfast  I  inquired  of  the  mate  after  the  young  wo- 
man who  was  so  ill  yesterday,  when  he  told  me  that  she 
was  dead  ;  and  when  I  remarked  that  I  feared  her  burial 
would  cause  great  consternation,  I  learned  that  the  sad  or- 
deal was  over,  her  remains  having  been  consigned  to  the 
deep  within  an  hour  after  she  expired.  When  I  went  on 
deck  I  heard  the  moans  of  her  poor  aunt,  who  continued 
to  gaze  upon  the  ocean  as  if  she  could  mark  the  spot  where 
the  waters  opened  for  their  prey.  The  majority  of  the 
wretched  passengers,  who  were  not  themselves  ill,  w^ere 
absorbed  in  grief  for  their  relatives ;  but  some  of  them,  it 
astonished  me  to  perceive,  had  no  feeling  whatever,  either 
for  their  fellow  creatures'  woe,  or  in  the  contemplation  of 
being  themselves  overtaken  by  the  dreadful  disease.  There 
was  a  further  addition  to  the  sick  list,  Avhich  now  amount- 
ed to  twenty. 

Thursday,  June  24tli. 

Being  the  festival  of  St.  John,  and  a  Catholic  holiday, 
some  young  men  and  women  got  up  a  dance  in  the  even- 
ing, regardless  of  the  moans  and  cries  of  those  who  were 
tortured  by  the  fiery  fever.  When  the  mate  spoke  to  them 
of  the  impropriety  of  such  conduct,  they  desisted  and  re- 
tired to  the  bow,  where  they  sat  down  and  spent  the 
remainder  of  the  evening  singing.  The  monotonous  howl- 
ing they  kept  up  was  quite  in  unison  with  the  scene  of  des- 
olation within,  and  the  dreary  expanse  of  ocean  without. 


44  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


Friday,  June  25th.    43  deg.  24  min.  N.  lat.,  40  deg.  4  min.  W.  Ion. 

This  morning  there  was  a  further  accession  to  the  names 
upon  the  sick  roll.  It  was  awful  how  suddenly  some  were 
stricken.  A  little  child  who  was  playing  with  its  compan- 
ions, suddenly  fell  down,  and  for  some  time  was  sunk  in  a 
death-like  torpor,  from  which,  when  she  awoke,  she  com- 
menced to  scream  violently,  and  writhed  in  convulsive  ag- 
ony. A  poor  woman  who  was  warming  a  drink  at  the 
fire  for  her  husband,  also  dropped  down  quite  senseless, 
and  was  borne  to  her  berth. 

I  found  it  very  difficult  to  acquire  precise  information 
respecting  the  progressive  symptoms  of  the  disease,  the  dif- 
ferent parties  of  whom  I  inquired  disagreeing  in  some  par- 
ticulars ;  but  I  inferred  that  the  first  symptom  was  generally 
a  reeling  in  the  head,  followed  by  a  swelling  pain,  as  if  the 
head  were  going  to  burst.  Next  came  excruciating  pains 
in  the  bones,  and  then  a  swelling  of  the  limbs,  commencing 
with  the  feet,  in  some  cases  ascending  the  body,  and  again 
descending  before  it  reached  the  head,  stopping  at  the  throat. 
The  period  of  each  stage  varied  in  different  patients;  some  of 
whom  were  covered  with  yellow,  watery  pimples,  and  oth- 
ers with  red  and  purple  spots,  that  turned  into  putrid  sores. 

Saturday,  June  26th.  44  deg.  21  min.  N.  lat.,  41  deg.  36  min.  W.  Ion. 
Some  of  those  who  the  other  day'appeared  to  bid  defi- 
ance to  the  fever,  were  seized  in  its  relentless  grasp;  and  a 
few  who  were  on  the  recovery,  relapsed.  It  seemed  mi- 
raculous to  me  that  such  subjects  could  struggle  with  so 
violent  a  disease  without  any  effective  aid. 

Sunday,  June  27th.     44  deg.  9  min.  N.  lat.,  42  deg.  10  min.  W.  Ion. 

The  moaning  and  raving  of  the  patients  kept  me  awake 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  45 

nearly  all  the  night ;  and  I  could  hear  the  mistress  stirring 
about  until  a  late  hour.  It  made  my  heart  bleed  to  listen 
to  the  cries  for  "  Water,  for  God's  sake  some  water."  Oh ! 
it  was  horrifying ;  -yet,  strange  to  say,  I  had  no  fear  of  tak- 
ing the  fever,  which,  perhaps,  under  the  merciful  provi- 
dence of  the  Almighty,  was  a  preventive  cause.  The  mate, 
who  spent  much  of  his  time  among  the  patients,  described 
to  me  some  revolting  scenes  he  witnessed  in  the  hold ;  but 
they  were  too  disgusting  to  be  repeated.  He  became  very 
much  frightened,  and  often  looked  quite  bewildered. 

Monday,  June  28th. 

The  number  of  patients  upon  the  list  now  amounted  to 
thirty,  and  the  effluvium  of  the  hold  was  shocking. 

The  passengers  suffered  much  for  want  of  pure  water, 
and  the  mate  tried  the  quality  of  all  the  casks.  Fortunately 
he  discovered  a  few  which  were  better,  and  this  circum- 
stance was  rather  cheering. 

Tuesday,  June  29th.    43  deg.  24  rain.  N.  lat.,  46  deg.  37  min.  W.  Ion. 

The  wind  kept  us  to  the  south,  but  though  occasionally 
becalmed,  we  were  slowly  gaining  longitude. 

I  could  not  keep  my  mind  fixed  upon  a  book,  so  I  was 
obliged  to  give  over  reading,  and  spent  the  day  watching 
the  rolling  of  the  dolphin,  the  aerial  darts  of  the  flying-fish, 
with  the  gambols  of  numbers  of  porpoises  that  danced  in 
the  waters  around  the  prow.  It  being  the  mate's  watch,  I 
remained  upon  deck  until  midnight,  listening  to  his  yarns. 
Some  of  them  were  rather  incredible,  and  upon  expressing 
such  to  be  my  opinion,  he  was  inclined  to  take  offence. 
Being  the  hero  of  some  of  his  stories  himself,  I  could  not 
doubt  the  veracity  of  them,  though  they  were  not  the  least 
marvellous.      Although  a  wefl   informed    and    intelligent 


46  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

man,  he  was  very  superstitious.     But  it  is  not  uncommon 
for  sailors  to  be  so. 

Wednesday,  June  30th.     43  deg.  48  rain.  N.  lat..  48  deg.  6  min.  W.  Ion. 

Passing  the  main  hatch,  I  got  a  glimpse  of  one  of  the 
most  awful  sights  I  ever  beheld.  A  poor  female  patient 
was  lying  in  one  of  the  upper  berths  —  dying.  Her  head 
and  face  were  sw^ollen  to  a  most  unnatural  size  ;  the  latter 
being  hideously  deformed.  I  recollected  remarking  the 
clearness  of  her  complexion  when  I  saw  her  in  health, 
shortly  after  we  sailed.  She  then  was  a  picture  of  good 
humor  and  contentment ;  now,  how  sadly  altered !  Her 
cheeks  retained  their  ruddy  hue,  but  the  rest  of  her  distorted 
countenance  was  of  a  leprous  whiteness.  She  had  been 
nearly  three  weeks  ill,  and  suffered  exceedingly  until  the 
swelling  set  in,  commencing  in  her  feet,  and  creeping  up 
her  body  to  her  head.  Her  afflicted  husband  stood  by  her 
holding  a  "blessed  candle"  in  his  hand,  and  awaiting  the 
departure  of  her  spirit.  Death  put  a  period  to  her  existence 
shortly  after  I  saw  her.  And  as  the  sun  was  setting,  the 
bereaved  husband  muttered  a  prayer  over  her  enshrouded 
corpse,  which,  as  he  said  "  Amen,"  was  lowered  into  the 
ocean. 

Thursday',  July  1st.     44  deg.  36  min.  N.  lat.,  48  deg.  38  min.  W.  Ion. 

The  wind  was  still  unfavorable,  but  w^e  gained  a  little 
by  constantly  tacking,  and  were  approaching  the  banks  of 
Newfoundland.  Some  new  cases  were  announced,  mak- 
ing thirty-seven  now  lying.  A  convalescent  was  assisted 
on  deck,  and  seemed  revived  by  the  fresh  air.  He  was  a 
miserable  object.  His  face  being  yellow  and  withered, 
was  rendered  ghastly  by  the  black  streak  that  encircled  his 
sunken  eyes 


CHAPTER  Y. 

About  midnight  the  shipmen  deemed  that  they  drew  near  to  some  country, 
and  sounded.  —  Acts  of  the  Apostles. 

Friday,  July  2nd. 

We  were  enveloped  in  a  dense  fog,  and  had  a  horn 
sounding  constantly.  One  of  the  patients,  who  was  repre- 
sented to  be  dying,  sent  for  the  mate,  and  giving  him  the 
key  of  his  box,  in  which  there  was  a  small  sum  of  money, 
requested  him  to  take  charge  of  it,  and,  upon  his  return  to 
Ireland,  send  it  to  his  (the  sick  man's)  mother. 

The  mate  promised  to  do  so,  but  did  not  consider  the 
poor  fellow  as  bad  as  he  himself  feared  he  was. 

Saturday,  July  3d. 

Any  idea  I  ever  formed  of  complete  horror,  was  excelled 
by  the  stern  reality  of  the  frightful  picture  which  the  past 
night  presented.  The  gloom  spread  around  by  the  impen- 
etrable fog  was  heightened  by  the  dismal  tone  of  the  fog- 
horn, between  each  sound  of  which  might  be  heard  the 
cries  and  ravings  of  the  delirious  patients,  and  occasionally 
the  tolling  of  a  bell,  warning  us  of  the  vicinity  of  some  fish- 
ing-boat, numbers  of  which  were  scattered  over  the  banks. 

The  mate  being  unable  to  make  an  observation,  we 
were  obliged  to  depend  upon  his  "  dead  reckoning." 

Sunday,  July  4th. 

We  enjoyed  a  favorable   breeze,  and  the  fog  having 


48  THE   OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

cleared  off  at  noon,  the  mate  had  an  observation,  bjj  which 
we  were  in  45°  IV  N.  lat.,  51°  40^  W.  Ion.  No  new  cases 
of  sickness  were  reported,  but  some  of  the  patients  were 
said  to  be  very  bad. 

We  spoke  a  bark  and  a  brig,  both  homeward  bound; 
and  differed  but  little  in  longitude.  There  was  something 
exciting  in  listening  to  the  friendly  voice  from  the  deep 
toned  speaking-trumpet,  and  in  beholding  the  board 
marked  with  the  longitude.  In  a  few  moments  the  ensigns 
were  lowered,  and  each  pursued  its  course. 

The  day  was  exceedingly  cold ;  so  much  so,  that  the 
captain  supposed  that  we  were  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
icebergs;  and  I  hoped  to  see  one  of  these  castellated  float- 
ing masses,  lifting  its  pinnacles  on  high,  and  glittering  in 
the  rays  of  the  sun. 

Monday,  July  5th.     45  deg.  21  min.  N.  lat,  53  deg.  52  min.  W.  Ion. 

The  morning  was  foggy,  and  we  were  near  running 
into  a  French  fishing-boat. 

The  captain  having  given  orders  for  sounding,  Jack  was 
sent  to  find  the  reel  and  line,  which  he  brought  up  from 
the  depths  of  the  lazaretto.  This  receptacle  for  all  sorts  of 
commodities  was  situated  below  the  cabin  ;  and  it  afforded 
me  some  amusement  to  see  the  boy,  by  the  faint  light  of 
the  lantern,  groping  among  beef  casks,  pork  barrels,  paint 
and  tar  pots,  spars,  and  rusty  irons.  The  sails  having 
been  put  aback,  so  that  the  brig  stood  motionless  upon  the 
bosom  of  the  water,  the  reel  was  held  by  a  man  at  the 
stern,  and  the  line  being  uncoiled,  was  drawn  outside  the  - 
ropes  of  the  rigging,  until  it  reached  the  bow.  The  lead 
was  then  attached,  and  carried  by  a  seaman  to  the  point  of 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  49 

the  bowsprit,  where  the  sailor  sat  swinging  the  weight, 
like  a  pendulum,  until,  upon  the  order  to  heave,  he  cast  it 
forth  upon  its  mission.  Bottom  having  been  found  at 
thirty-four  fathoms,  the  line  was  placed  upon  a  pulley  and 
drawn  up;  when  there  was  found  imbedded  in  the  grease 
with  which  the  lead  was  filled,  fine  white  sand,  as  laid 
down  in  the  chart. 

The  sails  were  again  set  to  the  breeze,  and  we  were 
once  more  gliding  through  the  water,  the  momentary  com- 
motion soon  settling  down  into  the  usual  inanity. 

Tuesday,  July  6th.    4r)  deg.  37  min.  N.  lat.,  54  deg.  53  min.  "W.  Ion.  7  deg. 

During  the  past  night  there  was  a  heavy  fall  of  rain, 
which  left  the  atmosphere  clear  and  cool. 

Two  men  (brothers)  died  of  dysentery,  and  I  was  awak- 
ened by  the  noise  made  by  the  mate,  who  wag~  searching 
for  an  old  sail  to  cover  the  remains  with.  In  about  an 
hour  after,  they  were  consigned  to  the  deep,  a  remaining 
brother  being  the  solitary  mourner.  He  continued  long  to 
gaze  upon  the  ocean,  while  a  tear  that  dropped  from  his 
moistened  eye  told  the  grief  he  did  not  otherwise  express. 
I  learned  in  the  afternoon  that  he  was  suffering  from  the 
same  complaint  that  carried  off  his  brothers. 

Wednesday,  July  7th. 

The  phosphorescent  appearance  of  the  ocean  at  night 
was  very  beautiful.  We  seemed  to  be  gliding  through  a 
sea  of  liquid  fire.  We  passed  a  great  number  of  fishing- 
boats,  chiefly  French,  from  the  isles  Miquelon  and  St. 
Pierre. 

They  were  anchored  at  regular  intervals,  for  the  purpose 
of  catching  cod-fish,  which,  allured  by  the  vast  numbers  of 
worms  found   upon  the  bottom,  abound  upon  the  banks. 


50  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


The  vessels  generally  are  large  sloops,  and  have  a  platform 
all  round,  wilh  an  awning  over  the  deck.  When  a  fish  is 
taken,  it  is  immediately  split  and  cleaned;  then  it  is  thrown 
into  the  hold;  and  when  the  latter  is  full,  the  fishermen 
return  home,  and  land  their  cargo,  to  be  dried  and  saved- 

Owing  to  these  processes  being  sometimes  too  long 
deferred,  the  bank  fish,  though  larger,  is  considered  inferior 
to  that  taken  along  the  coast  of  Newfoundland. 

Great  variety  of  opinion  exists  respecting  the  nature  and 
origin  of  these  submarine  banks,  but  none  of  them  appears 
to  me  so  natural  as  this  :  —  The  stream  which  issues  from 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  commonly  called  the  "  Florida  gulf 
stream,"  being  checked  in  its  progress  by  the  southern 
coast  of  Newfoundland,  deposits  the  vast  amount  of  mat- 
ter held  in  suspension.  This  by  accumulation  formed  the 
Banks,  which  are  still  increasing  in  extent.  The  tempera- 
ture of  the  water  upon  the  Banks  is  higher  than  that  of 
the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  and  of  the  ocean  ;  and  its  evap- 
oration causes  the  fog  that  almost  perpetually  prevails. 

The  afternoon  was  clear,  with  a  gentle  breeze,  which 
formed  a  ripple  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  gave  a 
beautiful  appearance  to  the  reflection  of  the  declining  sun, 
looking  like  jets  of  gas  bursting  from  the  deep. 

Thursday,  July  8th.  45  deg.  24  min.  N.  lat.,  57  dcg.  W.  Ion. 
Another  of  the  crew  was  taken  ill,  thereby  reducing  our 
hands  when  they  were  most  required.  The  captain  had 
a  great  dread  of  the  coast  of  Newfoundland,  which  being 
broken  into  deep  bays,  divided  from  each  other  by  rocky 
capes,  is  rendered  exceedingly  perilous;  more  especially, 
as    the    powerful    currents    set    towards    this    inhospitable 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  51 

We  kept  a  lookout  for  some  vessel  coming  from  the 
gulf,  ill  order  to  learn  the  bearings  of  land,  but  did  not 
perceive  one  during  the  day. 

Friday,  July  9lli.  46  deg.  N.  lat.,  58  deg.  W.  Ion. 
A  few  convalescents  appeared  upon  deck.  The  appear- 
ance of  the  poor  creatures  was  miserable  in  the  extreme. 
We  now  had  fifty  sick,  being  nearly  one  half  the  whole 
number  of  passengers.  Some  entire  families  being  pros- 
trated, were  dependent  on  the  charily  of  their  neighbours, 
many  of  whom  were  very  kind ;  but  others  seemed  to  be 
possessed  of  no  feeling.  Among  the  former,  the  Head- 
committee  was  conspicuous.  The  brother  of  the  two  men 
who  died  on  the  sixth  instant,  followed  them  to-day.  He 
was  seized  with  dismay  from  the  time  of  their  death,  which 
no  doubt  hurried  on  the  malady  to  its  fatal  termination. 
The  old  sails  being  all  used  up,  his  remains  were  placed 
in  two  meal-sacks,  and  a  weight  being  fastened  at  foot, 
the  body  was  placed  upon  one  of  the  hatch  battens,  from 
which,  when  raised  over  the  bulwark,  it  fell  into  the  deep, 
and  was  no  more  seen.  He  left  two  little  orphans,  one  of 
whom,  a  boy  seven  years  of  age,  I  noticed  in  the  evening, 
wearing  his  deceased  father's  coat.  Poor  little  fellow!  he 
seemed  quite  unconscious  of  his  loss,  and  proud  of  the 
accession  to  his  scanty  covering.  The  remainder  of  the 
man's  clothes  were  sold  by  auction,  by  a  friend  of  his  who 
promised  to  take  care  of  the  children.  There  was  great 
competition,  and  the  "  Cant,"  as  they  called  it,  occasioned 
jibing  and  jesting,  which  it  was  painful  to  listen  to,  sur- 
rounded as  the  actors  were,  (some  of  whom  had  just  risen 
from  a  bed  of  sickness)  by  famine,  pestilence  and  death. 


CHAPTEE  VI. 

The  floods  are  risen,  0  Lord,  the  floods  have  lifted  up  their  voice ;  the  floods 
lift  up  their  waves.  The  waves  of  the  sea  are  mighty  and  rage  horribly  :  but 
yet  the  Lord  who  dwelleth  on  liigh  is  mightier.  David. 

July  10th,  46  deg.  36  min.  N.  lat.,  .59  deg.  36  min.  W.  Ion. 

We  spoke  a  wherry  which  was  conveying  cattle  from 
Nova  Scotia  to  Newfoundland,  and  learned  from  the 
steersman  the  bearings  of  St.  Paul's  Island.  We  shortly 
afterwards  passed  a  large  fleet,  coming  from  the  gulf,  and 
in  the  afternoon  descried  Cape  North. 

The  passengers  expressed  great  delight  at  seeing  land, 
and  were  under  the  impression  that  they  were  near  their 
destination,  little  knowing  the  extent  of  the  gulf  they  had 
to  pass,  and  the  great  river  to  ascend.  Early  in  the  even- 
ing we  saw  Isle  St.  Paul,  and  indistinctly  the  point  of 
Cape  Hay,  between  which  and  Cape  North  is  the  passage 
into  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence.  St.  Paul's  Island  lies 
about  ten  miles  to  the  north  of  the  latter  cape,  in  latitude 
47°  14^  north,  and  longitude  60°  11^  17^^  west.  It  is  a 
huge  rock,  dividing  at  top  into  three  conical  peaks.  Rising 
boldly  from  the  sea,  there  is  a  great  depth  of  water  all 
round  it,  and  vessels  may  pass  at  either  side  of  it.  It  has 
been  the  site  of  numerous  shipwrecks ;  many  vessels, 
carried  out  of  their  reckoning  by  the  currents,  having  been 
dashed  against  it  when  concealed  by  fog,  and  instantly 
shattered  to  atoms. 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  53 

Human  bones  and  other  memorials  of  these  disasters  are 
strewed  around  its  base.  We  passed  the  light  of  this 
dangerous  island,  at  10  p.  m.,  entering  into  the  "goodly, 
great  gulf,  full  of  islands,  passages,  and  entrances,  towards 
what  wind  soever  you  please  to  bend."  ^ 

This  gulf  was  first  explored  by  John  Cabot,  in  1497, 
who  called  the  coast  of  Labrador  Primavisla.  The  Por- 
tuguese afterwards  changed  the  name  of  that  desert  region 
to  Terra  Coterealis;  and  the  gulf  they  designated  as  that 
of  the  "  Two  Brothers,"  in  memory  of  Gaspar  and  Michael 
Cotereal,  the  first  named  of  whom  not  having  returned 
from  the  second  expedition  he  commanded,  the  latter  went 
in  search  of  him ;  but  neither  of  thena  were  afterwards 
heard  of. 

Jaques  Cartier  having  entered  it  upon  the  festival  of  St. 
Lawrence,  gave  to  the  gulf  and  the  river  flowing  into  it 
the  name  they  still  retain. 

Sunday,  July  11th. 

We  had  a  fair  wind,  and  were  going  full  sail  at  7  knots 
an  hour.  At  noon  we  passed  the  Bird  Islands,  which  are 
low  ledges  of  rocks,  and  swarm  with  gannets,  numbers  of 
which  were  flying  about.  They  were  as  large  as  geese, 
and  pure  white  with  the  exception  of  the  tips  of  the  wings, 
which  were  jet  black.  Some  of  Mother  Carey's  chickens 
were  following  in  our  wake,  and  it  was  highly  amusing  to 
watch  the  contentions  of  the  little  creatures  for  bits  of  fat 
thrown  to  them. 

We  had  a  distant  view  of  the  Magdalen  Islands,  which, 
although  lying  nearer  to  Nova  Scotia,  are  considered  as 

*  Cartier. 


54 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE., 


belonging  to  Canada ;  and  form  a  portion  of  the  circuit 
within  the  district  of  Gaspe,  a  court  being  held  at  Amherst 
harbor  annually,  from  1st  to  10th  of  July.  The  largest  of 
the  group  are  Bryon,  Deadman's,  Amherst,  Entry,  and 
Wolf  islands,  which  are  inhabited  by  a  hardy  race  of 
fishermen.  The  huge  walrus  may  at  times  be  seen  upon 
their  shores. 

Monday,  July  12tli. 

In  the  morning  we  were  becalmed,  the  water  being 
smooth  as  glass,  and  of  a  beautifully  clear,  green  hue. 

A  breeze  sprung  up  at  12  o'clock,  and  the  captain  having 
provided  himself  and  me  with  lines,  we  spent  the  afternoon 
fishing  for  mackerel,  which  were  so  plenty  that  I  caught 
seventy  in  about  two  hours,  when  I  had  to  give  over,  my 
hands  being  cut  by  the  line.  The  captain  continued,  and 
had  a  barrel  full  by  evening.  They  were  the  finest  mack- 
erel I  ever  saw,  and  we  had  some  at  tea,  which  w^e  all 
enjoyed  as  a  delicious  treat  after  six  weeks  of  salt  beef  and 
biscuit  diet.  Many  of  the  passengers  having  noticed 
our  success,  followed  our  example,  and  lines  were  out  from 
every  quarter ;  all  the  twine,  thread,  &c.  that  could  be  made 
out,  being  put  into  requisition,  with  padlocks  and  bolts  Tor 
weights,  and  wire  hooks.  Even  with  such  rude  gear,  they 
caught  a  great  number ;  but  their  recreation  was  suddenly 
terminated,  a  young  man  who  was  drawing  in  a  fish  having 
dropped  upon  the  deck  quite  senseless,  and  apparently 
dead.  He  was  carried  below  and  put  into  his  berth,  there 
to  pass  through  the  successive  stages  of  the  fever. 

Tuesday,  July  13th. 

We  were  again  becalmed  during  the  forenoon,  but  a 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  QQ 


breeze  that  soon  became  a  gale  arose  about  one  o'clock,  p. 
m.,  and  lasted  until  evening,  being  accompanied  by  thun- 
der and  lightning,  and  followed  by  a  heavy  shower  of  rain. 
The  clouds  cleared  away  at  sunset,  when  we  were  within 
10  or  12  miles  of  the  eastern  point  of  the  island  of  Anticosti, 
which  when  the  captain  perceived,  he  gave  the  order  to 
sheer  ofl'  on  the  other  tack.  This  island  is  particularly 
dangerous,  being  surrounded  by  sunken  reefs.  It  is  of 
considerable  extent,  being  130  miles  in  length  from  east  to 
west,  and  30  miles  across  its  greatest  breadth.  Its  surface 
is  low  and  level,  and  covered  with  a  pristine  forest,  through 
which  prowls  the  bear,  undisturbed,  except  when  hunted 
by  Indians,  who  periodically  resort  hither  for  that  pm-pose. 
The  sterility  of  its  soil  offering  no  inducement  to  the 
white  man,  it  is  uninhabited,  except  by  the  keepers  of  the 
lighthouses,  to  which  are  attached  small  establishments 
for  the  purpose  of  affording  relief  to  shipwrecked  mariners. 
The  name  Anticosti  is  probably  a  corruption  of  Natiscotee, 
which  it  is  called  by  the  aborigines.  Cartier  named  it 
"  L'isle  de  1' Assumption. 

Wednesday,  July  14th. 

We  had  the  bold  headlands  of  capes  Gaspe  and  Rosier 
on  our  left,  and  had  entered  the  majestic  river  St.  Lawrence, 
which  here,  through  a  mouth  ninety  miles  in  width,  after 
a  course  of  upwards  of  2,000  miles,  disgorges  the  accu- 
mulated waters  of  the  great  lakes,  swollen  by  the  acces- 
sion of  hundreds  of  tributaries,  (some  of  them  noble  rivers,) 
draining  an  almost  boundless  region. 

The  reports  of  the  sufferings  in  the  hold  were  heart- 
rending.    Simon  and  Jack  were  both  taken  ill. 


56  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


Thursday,  Jnly  15th. 
Last  night  I  was  suddenly  wakened  by  the  captain, 
shouting  "  get  up!  get  up!  and  come  on  deck  quickly." 
Somewhat  alarmed,  I  obeyed  the  summons  as  speedily  as 
possible,  and  was  well  recompensed  for  the  start,  by  the 
magnificence  of  the  glorious  scene  I  beheld.  The  northern 
portion  of  the  firmament  was  vividly  illuminated  with  a 
clear  though  subdued  light,  while  across  it  shot  fiery  me- 
teors from  different  directions ;  now  rushing  against  each 
other  as  if  engaged  in  deadly  warfare ;  again  gliding  about 
in  wanton  playfulness. 

Disappearing  for  a  while,  and  leaving  behind  a  faintly 
luminous  trail,  they  would  again  burst  forth  upon  their 
stage,  lighted  up  by  a  sudden  flash  for  the  igneous  perform- 
ers. I  watched  with  delight  until  the  lustrous  picture  was 
finally  enshrouded  in  darkness,  when  I  returned  to  bed. 

There  was  a  birth  on  board  this  morning,  and  two  or 
three  deaths  were  momentarily  expected.  The  mate's  ac- 
count of  the  state  of  the  hold  was  harrowing.  It  required 
the  greatest  coercion  to  enforce  any  thing  like  cleanliness 
or  decency ;  and  the  Head  committee  had  no  sinecure  of- 
fice. I  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  day  upon  deck,  admir- 
ing the  numberless  jets  d'eau  of  the  bottlenosed  whales  that 
plunged  about  in  the  water.  The  poor  mistress  was 
greatly  grieved  about  Jack  and  Simon  ;  and  the  captain 
was  savage  for  lack  of  assistance. 

Friday,  July  16th. 

We  were  tacking  about  all  day,  which  though  tedious  I 
enjoyed,  as  it  afforded  an  opportunity  of  seeing  both  shores 
of  the  noble  river.  That  to  the  north  is  indescribably  grand ; 
rugged  mountains  rising  precipitously  from  out  the  water. 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  57 

and  indented  by  sweeping  bays,  in  which  arc  numerous 
islets.  Towards  evening  we  were  in  view  of  Seven  Islands 
bay,  lovely  though  desolate.  No  human  eyes  behold  this 
region  of  unbroken  solitude,  save  now  and  then  those  which 
can  but  lightly  appreciate  its  grandeur.  I  cannot  describe 
the  effect  produced  by  the  mist  that  sometimes  completely 
hides  the  mountains — rolling  up  their  sides,  and  re- 
sembling gracefully  festooned  drapery. 

The  sailors  who  could  work  were  greatly  harassed  by 
being  obliged  to  tack  repeatedly.  The  mate,  especially, 
was  one  moment  down  in  the  hold  waiting  on  some  dying 
fellow-creature  ;  the  next,  perhaps,  stretched  across  a  yard, 
reefing  a  top-sail.  Although  lame,  he  was  surprisingly  ac- 
tive, and  used  to  astonish  the  emigrants,  one  of  whom  said 
to  me,  "  Och !  your  honor,  isn't  Mister  Mate  a  great  bit  of 
a  man?" 

Saturday,  July  17th. 

The  morning  was  fine,  and  shortly  after  breakfast  I  was 
upon  deck  admiring  the  beauty  of  the  pine-clad  hills  upon 
the  southern  shore  of  the  river,  when  the  captain  came  up 
from  the  cabin,  and  after  looking  about  gave  the  word  to 
"  double  reef  top-sails  and  make  all  snug."  Not  long 
after,  the  sky,  which  had  been  quite  clear,  became  black, 
and  a  violent  gale  arose,  lashing  the  water  into  tremendous 
waves,  which  tossed  us  mercilessly  about ;  one  moment 
borne  up  by  an  angry  billow;  the  next,  plunging  into  a 
deep  abyss.  The  roaring  wind  was  drowned  by  the  tre- 
mendous noise  of  successive  peals  of  thunder,  while  the 
forked  lightning  played  about  in  zig-zag  lines,  and  the  rain 
descended  in  torrents. 

At  5,  p.  M.,  the  wind  abated,  and  the  waves  began  to 
4 


58 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


subside.  About  an  hour  after,  the  leaden  clouds  parted, 
and,  as  if  in  defiance  of  the  contending  elements,  the  sun 
set  in  gorgeous  splendor.  The  poor  passengers  were 
greatly  terrified  by  the  storm,  and  suffered  exceedingly. 
They  were  so  buffetted  about  that  the  sick  could  not  be 
tended;  and  after  calm  was  restored  a  woman  was  found 
dead  in  her  berth. 


* 


CHAPTER  VII. 

So  frequent  death, 
Sorrow  he  more  than  causes,  but  confounds ; 
For  human  sighs,  liis  rival  strokes  contend, 
And  make  distress,  distraction.  toukg. 

Sunday,  July  18th. 

I  was  enchanted  with  the  extraordinary  beauty  of  the 
scenery  I  beheld  this  morning,  when  I  came  on  deck. — 
The  early  beams  of  the  sun  played  upon  the  placid  surface 
of  the  river,  here  forty  miles  wide,  the  banks  on  either 
hand  being  moderately  elevated,  and  covered  with  firs. 
On  the  north  was  Cape  des  Monts,  terminating  in  a  low 
point,  on  which  stood  a  light-house  and  diminutive  cottage. 
On  the  south  Cape  Chat  rose  to  a  considerable  height ;  the 
outline  of  its  summit  being  broken  by  sudden  gaps,  giv- 
ing to  it  a  character  that  to  me  was  unique. 

An  unbroken  stillness  reigned  around,  as  if  nature  were 
at  rest  after  the  storm  of  the  previous  day ;  and  our  brig 
lay  almost  motionless  upon  the  water. 

I  occupied  myself  again  and  again  noting,  so  as  to  im- 
press upon  my  mind,  the  peerless  beauty  I  am  unable  to 
portray,  and  in  reading  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  I  felt  a 
renewed  interest  in  the  account  of  St.  Paul's  voyages,  as  I 
could  now  appreciate  by  experience  the  force  and  accuracy 
of  their  description.  We  made  no  way,  and  it  was  with 
difficulty  we  retained  our  position  against  the  current. 


60  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


Monday,  July  19th. 

Another  death  and  burial.  A  few  who  had  been  ill, 
again  appeared  on  deck,  weak,  and  weary.  The  want  of 
pure  water  was  sensibly  felt  by  the  afflicted  creatures,  and 
we  were  yet  a  long  way  from  where  the  river  loses  its 
saltness.  In  the  morning  there  came  alongside  of  us  a 
beautiful  little  schooner,  from  which  we  took  a  pilot  on 
board.  When  he  found  that  we  had  emigrants,  and  so 
much  sickness,  he  seemed  to  be  frightened  and  disap- 
pointed; as  he  had  avoided  a  large  ship,  thinking  we  had 
not  passengers.  However,  he  could  not  nor  dare  he  re- 
treat. The  first  thing  he  did  was  to  open  his  huge  trunk, 
and  take  from  it  a  pamphlet,  which  proved  to  be  the  quar- 
antine regulations ;  he  handed  it  to  the  captain,  who  spent 
a  long  time  poring  over  it.  When  he  had  read  it  I  got  a 
look  at  it  —  one  side  was  printed  in  French,  the  other  in 
English.  The  rules  were  very  stringent,  and  the  penalties 
for  their  infringement  exceedingly  severe ;  the  sole  con- 
trol being  vested  in  the  head  physician,  the  power  given 
to  whom  was  most  arbitrary.  We  feared  that  we  should 
undergo  a  long  detention  in  quarantine,  and  learned  that 
we  could  hold  no  communication  whatever  with  the  shore 
until  our  arrival  at  Grosse  Isle. 

The  pilot  was  a  heavy,  stupid  fellow  —  a  Canadian, 
speaking  a  horrible  patois,  and  broken  English  ;  he  was 
accompanied  by  his  nephew  and  apprentice,  Pierre,  a  fine 
lad. 

The  wind  favored  us  for  some  hours,  and  towards  even- 
ing we  saw  Mount  Camille  upon  the  southern  bank,  ris- 
ing above  the  surrounding  hills  to  a  height  of  2036  feet. 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  Gl 

Tuesday,  July  20th. 
Our  course  lying  more  to  the  soulliern  bank  of  the  river, 
I  could  observe  minutely  the  principal  objects  upon  that 
side.  Many  charming  tributary  streams  rolled  along  sweet 
valleys,  enfolded  in  the  swelling  hills,  whose  sides  were 
clothed  with  verdure.  I  would  fain  explore  each  of  these 
enchanting  vales ;  but  too  soon  we  passed  them,  and  some 
jutting  cape  would  hide  from  view  the  little  settlements  at 
each  embouchure.  The  most  considerable  of  these,  was 
that  upon  Point  aux  Snellez,  near  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Metis,  about  200  miles  from  Quebec.  Here  commences 
the  Kempt  road,  which  terminates  at  Cross  point  on  the 
river  Restigouche,  —  a  distance  of  98  miles.  A  new  road, 
connecting  this  with  Grande  Nouvelle  on  the  Bay  of  Cha- 
leur,  completes  the  communication  with  Halifax. 

Wednesday,  July  21st. 

A  thick  fog  concealed  every  object  from  view,  at  times 
so  low  as  only  to  hide  the  hulls  of  vessels,  by  whose  rig- 
ging we  could  perceive  them  tacking  like  ourselves ;  the 
sky  being  unclouded.  A  strong  wind  blew  down  the  river, 
which  together  with  the  forcible  current  kept  us  back. 
One  of  the  sick  sailors  reappeared  upon  deck,  but  was  too 
weak  to  resume  duty;  the  other  man  was  still  very  bad  ; 
as  were  also  Simon  and  Jack. 

Simon  got  up  from  his  berth  in  a  delirious  fit,  and  ran 
down  to  the  cabin,  where  his  wild  appearance  nearly 
frightened  the  life  out  of  the  mistress.  It  was  with  diffi- 
culty he  was  laid  hold  of ;  and  he  resisted  violently  while 
he  was  carried  back  to  his  hammock,  in  the  forecastle, 
where  he  was  strapped  down. 


62 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


Thursday,  July  22nd. 

Soon  after  retiring  to  my  berth  last  night,  I  heard  a 
grating  noise,  accompanied  by  a  tremulous  motion  of  the 
brig,  and  felt  alarmed,  fearing  that  we  had  grounded  upon 
some  bank ;  but  my  anxiety  was  relieved,  by  learning  that 
it  was  caused  by  the  dropping  of  the  anchor,  it  being 
useless  to  contend  against  both  wind  and  current.  The 
latter  here  being  strengthened  by  the  vast  body  of  water 
discharged  from  the  river  Saguenay.  When  I  came  on 
deck  this  morning,  I  found  that  we  were  anchored  off  the 
village  of  Trois  Pistolles,  with  Cape  L'Orignal  to  the  east, 
and  Basque  Isle  on  the  west.  Being  the  first  Canadian 
village  I  had  seen,  I  was  delighted  by  the  rural  aspect  of 
the  pretty  white  cottages  with  red  roofs,  scattered  over  the 
sloping  bank,  each  surrounded  by  a  small  garden.  The 
captain  was  impatient,  and  though  the  pilot  said  it  would 
only  tend  to  harass  the  sailors,  we  weighed  anchor  at 
noon,  and  after  beating  about  all  the  day,  again  came  to, 
near  the  same  spot  as  before.  A  child,  one  of  the 
orphans,  died  and  was  buried  in  the  evening,  no  friend 
being  by  to  see  the  frail  body  committed  to  its  watery 
grave.  The  water  could  not  be  used  by  the  wretched 
emigrants,  and  but  half  a  cask  of  that  provided  for  the 
cabin  and  crew  remained;  they  were  therefore  obliged  to 
use  the  saline  water  of  the  river. 

Friday,  July  23d. 

We  remained  at  anchor  all  day,  a  fresh  breeze  blowing 
down  the  river.  Some  of  the  recovered  patients  who  were 
slowly  regaining  strength,  had  relapsed  into  the  most  vio- 
lent stages,  and  three  new  cases  were  announced,  showing 
exceedingly  virulent  symptoms.  . 


THE  OCEAN  TLAGUE.  G3 

■ — _____ ,^ 

The  wind  abated  at  noon,  and  it  was  quite  calm  for 
about  an  hour.  During  this  period  I  was  upon  deck,  and 
on  looking  across  the  river  was  greatly  astonished  at  per- 
ceiving something  resembling  an  island,  which  I  had  not 
before  noticed.  It  was  circular,  and  quite  black.  I  spent 
some  time  in  conjecturing  what  it  could  be ;  the  captain 
could  not  tell ;  and  the  pilot  was  asleep.  At  length  two 
vessels  sailing  down  the  river,  when  they  came  near  this 
object,  assumed  a  similar  appearance,  from  which  I  imme- 
diately inferred  that  it  was  a  ship  at  anchor,  transformed 
by  mirage. 

As  the  vessels  sailed  along,  they  underwent  extraordi- 
nary metamorphoses  —  sometimes  the  bow  and  stern  were 
turned  up  like  those  of  a  Chinese  junk;  at  others  the  hulls 
were  up  in  the  air  and  the  masts  seemingly  in  the  water ; 
the  latter  being  twisted  and  curved.  A  cottage  upon  the 
north  bank  stood  apparently  upon  the  surface  of  the  river, 
and  the  light-house  on  Bic  island  had  a  duplicate  of  itself 
perched  upon  it,  the  copy  being  inverted,  lantern  down 
and  base  up.  The  illusions  occurred  only  within  certain 
limits,  which  were  defined  by  an  appearance  distinct  from 
the  surrounding  atmosphere.  The  difference  being  some- 
thing like  that  presented  by  clear  water  and  the  empty 
space  within  a  half  filled  vial. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

These  are  miracles,  which  man, 
Cag'd  in  the  bounds  of  Europe's  pigmy  plan, 
Can  scarcely  dream  of ;  which  his  eye  must  see, 
To  know  how  beautiful  this  world  can  be.  mooke  . 

Saturday,  July  24th. 

We  once  more  weighed  anchor  this  morning,  and  beat 
about  all  the  day  between  Trois  Pistolles  and  the  mouth 
of  the  river  Escamin,  which  discharges  itself  nearly  opposite, 
upon  the  north  shore.  We  had  a  large  fleet  of  ships, 
barques,  and  brigs  in  company,  two  of  which  were  trans- 
ports with  troops.  It  was  a  pleasing  sight  to  see  such  a 
number  of  vessels,  continually  passing  each  other,  and 
each  evidently  endeavoring  to  gain  upon  the  rest,  every 
tack. 

In  the  afternoon  a  brig  hoisted  her  ensign  as  a  signal  of 
recognition,  and  upon  the  next  tack  we  passed  near  enough 
to  speak ;  when  the  captain  turned  out  to  be  a  particular 
friend  of  our  captain  and  the  mistress.  They  kept  up  a 
regular  conversation  the  rest  of  the  day,  every  time  we 
met,  which  was  pretty  often  ;  each  inquiring  of  the  other, 
the  number  of  deaths?  —  what  sickness?  —  how  many 
days  out?  —  from  what  port?  &c.  &c.  We  learned,  much 
to  our  surprise,  that  she  had  a  greater  number  of 
deaths  than  we ;  and  this  news  was  very  consoling  to  the 
mistress.  Towards  evening  the  wind  abated,  and  we  were 
in  hope  that  it  was  about  to  change.     It  died  away  alto- 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  G5 

gclher,  and  the  vessels  that  before  shot  past  one  another, 
were  now  ahuost  motionless,  and  scattered  over  the  surface 
of  the  river,  which  here  is  Iwenly-five  rniles  wide.  At 
sunset  we  lay  at  the  north  side,  and  could  almost  reach  the 
trees  covering  the  bank.  I  have  seen  many  a  beautiful 
sunset,  but  all  fade  before  the  exquisite  beauty  of  that 
which  I  witnessed  this  evening.  The  glorious  luminary 
sunk  behind  the  dark  blue  hills,  upon  the  summits  of 
which  seemed  to  rest  the  border  of  heaven's  canopy,  dyed 
in  crimson  sheen,  softening  down  to  a  light  orange  tint,  that 
imperceptibly  blended  with  the  azure  sky,  which  was  here 
and  there  hid  by  fleecy  vermilion  clouds.  Cape  L'  Orignal 
was  clothed  in  a  vesture  of  purple,  of  every  shade,  from 
violet  to  that  of  the  deepest  hue,  o'ershadowing  the  village 
of  Trois  PistoUes.  There  was  not  a  ripple  upon  the  water, 
but  gentle  undulations  heaved  its  bosom,  decked  in  a  tissue 
of  carmine,  ultramarine,  and  gold.  Such  vividness  and 
variety  of  colors  I  never  before  conceived,  or  since  experi- 
enced. Oh!  thought  I,  why  is  not  Danby  here  to  fix  ihem 
upon  imperishable  canvass  ?  As  night  came  on  the  pilot 
grew  uneasy,  there  not  being  good  anchorage  at  that  side ; 
however,  a  slight  breeze  from  the  old  quarter  wafted  us 
across,  to  the  very  spot  where  we  before  lay,  and  where 
we  again  dropped  anchor  in  the  midst  of  our  consorts. 

Sunday,  July  25th. 

We  lay  at  anchor  all  day,  the  wind  blowing  strongly 
against  us.  It  was  exceedingly  trying  to  be  detained  here 
within  a  few  miles  of  the  tidal  influence,  having  once 
gained  which,  we  would  be  independent  of  the  wind.  The 
poor  patients,  too,  were  anxiously  looking  out  for  the  quar 
4* 


66 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


antine  station,  where  they  hoped  to  find  some  alleviation 
to  their  sufferings.  The  mistress  and  mate  were  uneasy, 
as  the  cabin  water  was  nearly  out,  and  they  feared  to  let 
the  captain  know  of  it.  I  was  obliged  to  remain  below, 
the  effluvia  from  the  hold  being  quite  overpowering.  I 
could  hear  the  tolling  of  the  village  church-bell,  and  its 
sweet  tone  induced  me  to  go  on  deck  for  a  few  moments, 
where  I  was  charmed  with  the  appearance  of  the  showily 
dressed  Canadians,  some  standing  in  groups,  talking;  oth- 
ers seated  upon  benches,  while  caleshes  were  momentarily 
arriving  with  "habitans"  from  distant  settlements,  who, 
after  tying  up  their  horses  under  a  shed  close  by  the  "pres- 
bytere,"  joined  the  chatting  parties  until  the  bell  ceased, 
when  all  retired  within  the  church. 

Monday,  July  26th. 

The  wind  was  not  so  strong,  and  the  effluvia  not  quite 
so  unpleasant.  I  was  therefore  not  so  much  confined  to 
the  cabin.  The  captain  was  desirous  of  sailing,  but  the 
pilot  would  not  consent ;  and  the  latter  proved  to  be  right, 
as  two  of  the  vessels  weighed  anchor  in  the  morning,  and 
after  beating  about  for  a  couple  of  hours  were  obliged  to 
come  to.  A  pretty  stream,  —  the  mingled  waters  of  the 
Abawisquash  and  Trois  PistoUes  rivers,  —  flows  into  the 
St.  Lawrence,  adjacent  to  the  village.  Like  all  the  tribu- 
taries upon  the  southern  side,  it  is  of  inconsiderable  length, 
the  hills  in  which  they  have  their  sources  lying  at  no  great 
distance  from  the  bank.  But  many  of  those  which  empty 
themselves  at  the  north  side,  as  the  Manicouagan,  Bustard, 
Belsiamites,  Portneuf,  &c.,  are  fine  rivers,  rising  in  the  ele- 
vated ridge  that  divides  Canada  from  the  Hudson's  Bay 
territory ;  and  in  their  courses  through  the  untrodden  for- 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  67 

ests  expanding  into  large  lakes.  After  dinner  the  mistress 
carried  the  baby  that  was  born  on  board,  down  to  the  cab- 
in. The  captain  at  first  was  very  angry  ;  but  a  smile  upon 
the  face  of  the  little  innocent,  softened  his  heart,  and  he 
soon  caressed  it  with  all  the  endearments  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  lavishing  upon  the  canary  ;  when  tired  of  which 
amusement,  he  opened  the  locker  and  took  therefrom  an 
egg,  which  he  held  up  to  the  light  and  looked  through,  to 
see  if  it  were  good.  Not  being  satisfied  on  that  point,  he 
tried  another,  and  then  another,  until  he  got  one  to  please 
him.  He  next  got  some  salt,  and  opening  the  infant's  lilt'e 
hand,  placed  it  upon  the  palm,  and  gently  closed  the  tiny 
fingers  upon  it.  He  then  performed  a  similar  operation 
upon  the  other,  enclosing  a  shilling  in  lieu  of  salt.  The 
egg  he  handed  to  the  mistress  to  send  to  the  mother,  and 
acquaint  her  that  he  wished  the  child  to  be  called  "  Ellen," 
after  her. 

The  mistress,  kind  to  all,  was  particularly  so  to  the  little 
children,  about  twenty  of  whom  we  had  aboard.  One 
poor  infant,  whose  father  and  mother  (neither  of  whom 
were  twenty  years  of  age)  were  both  ill  and  unable  to  take 
care  of  it,  she  paid  a  woman  for  nursing;  and  I  could  not 
believe  it  to  be  the  same  child  when  I  saw  it  clean  and 
comfortably  covered  with  clothes  she  made  for  it.  Jack 
came  upon  deck.  Poor  fellow !  he  was  sadly  altered.  Si- 
mon also  was  reported  to  be  better,  but  unable  to  leave  his 
hammock.  The  mate  began  to  complain,  and  the  brandy 
cask,  (which  had  been  broached,)  supplied  his  remedy. 

Tuesday,  July  27th. 

The  wind  veered  about  five  o'clock  last  evening,  and  the 


68  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

vessels,  one  by  one,  sailed  away.  Our  pilot  saying  that  it 
would  again  change  in  a  short  time,  was  not  inclined  to 
weigh  anchor,  but  the  captain  insisted  upon  doing  so.  At 
6  p.  M.  we  were  once  more  in  motion,  and  in  a  few  min- 
utes were  in  full  sail,  going  seven  knots  an  hour.  Basque 
island  was  soon  left  behind,  and  stemming  the  dark  waters 
discharged  by  the  Saguenay,  as  day  was  fading,  we 
were  before  Tadousac,  a  settlement  at  the  mouth  of  that 
grand  river.  The  Saguenay  ranks  second  amongst  the 
tributaries  of  the  St.  Lawrence ;  indeed,  although  its  course 
is  not  so  long,  it  is  supposed  to  convey  a  larger  body  of 
water  than  the  Ottawa.  At  its  juncture  with  the  St.  Law- 
rence it  is  about  a  mile  wide  ;  but  in  some  parts  it  expands 
to  three.  At  a  distance  of  one  hundred  and  forty  miles  it 
receives  the  waters  of  lake  St.  John,  which  is  the  reservoir 
of  numerous  rivers,  some  of  which  are  precipitated  into  it 
by  magnificent  rapids  and  falls.  This  lake,  which  is  about 
one  hundred  miles  in  circumference,  is  remarkable  for  its 
shallowness,  from  which  cause  the  navigation  of  it  is  fre- 
quently dangerous ;  as  the  least  wind  produces  a  ground 
swell  and  breakers.  Its  water  is  said  to  be  tepid,  and  it 
abounds  with  a  variety  of  fish,  great  quantities  of  which 
are  taken  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ouiatchouan  river,  where 
there  is  a  station,  at  which  they  are  salted  and  packed  for 
traffic.  The  climate  is  very  salubrious,  and  the  soil  of  the 
great  valley  that  borders  the  lake  is  susceptible  of  the  high- 
est culture.  A  few  Indians  wander  over  this  fine  tract  of 
country,  which  it  is  the  intention  of  the  provincial  govern- 
ment to  open  to  French  Canadians,  whose  laws  acknowl- 
edging no  right  of  primogeniture,  they  have  overpopulated 
many  of  the  old  settlements.     The  Indians  call  this  fine 


THE   OCEAN  PLAGUE.  69 

sheet  of  water,  "  Piegougamis,"  signifying  "  the  flat  lake." 
First-class  ships  can  ascend  the  Saguenay  to  Chicoutimi, 
a  distance  of  sixty-eight  miles.  There  is  a  small  settle- 
ment here,  the  communication  between  which  and  the 
lake,  being  broken  by  rapids,  can  only  be  overcome  by  ex- 
perienced "voyageurs"  in  canoes.  At  Ha-Ha  Bay,  eigh- 
teen miles  below  Chicoutimi,  there  is  a  pretty  large  settle- 
ment, and  here  the  river  assumes  its  grand  and  romantic 
feature,  passing  for  the  remainder  of  its  course  between 
almost  perpendicular  cliffs,  from  one  thousand  to  fifteen 
hundred  feet  in  height.  Its  great  cfepth  is  another  charac- 
teristic ;  bottom  not  being  found  near  the  mouth  with  a 
line  of  three  hundred  and  thirty  fathoms  ;*  while  the  depth 
of  the  St.  Lawrence  at  the  junction  is  but  two  hundred  and 
forty  feet.  However,  its  great  rapidity  renders  it  impossi- 
ble accurately  to  learn  its  soundings. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

But  soft !  the  tinges  of  the  west  decline, 

And  night  falls  dewy  o'er  these  banks  of  pine. 

Among  the  reeds  in  which  our  idle  boat 

Is  rock'd  to  rest,  the  wind's  complaining  note 

Dies,  like  a  half  breath'd  whispering  of  flutes. 

Along  the  waves  the  gleaming  porpoise  shoots, 

And  I  can  trace 'him  like  a  wat'ry  star, 

Down  the  steep  current,  till  he  fades  afar 

Amid  the  foaming  breakers'  silvery  light, 

Where  yon  rough  rapids  sparkle  through  the  night. — mooke. 

July  27th. 
Feeling  somewhat  excited  by  the  sudden  acceleration 
of  our  progress,  I  determined  to  remain  on  decli  until  the 
turn  of  the  tide  would  compel  us  to  come  to  an  anchor. 
There  was  something  also  most  enchanting  in  being  waft- 
ed by  both  wind  and  tide,  at  the  rate  of  ten  knots  an  hour, 
watching  the  lights  upon  the  different  islands,  and  the 
myriads  of  bright  stars  that  studded  the  firmament,  and 
were  reflected  in  the  darkened  surface  of  the  broad  river, 
which  upon  the  north  side  was  overshadowed  by  the 
mountainous  banks,  while  the  southern  shore  might  be 
traced  by  a  continuous  line  of  flickering  lamps  within  the 
cottages  upon  its  border.  We  soon  left  Green  island  be- 
hind us ;  then  Hare  island  and  Riviere  du  Loup,  upon 
which  is  a  large  settlement  with  a  population  of  about  fif- 
teen hundred.  There  are  some  large  saw-mills  here,  and 
a  "portage"  leading  through  Madawaska  to  the  lower 
provinces.     After  passing  the  Pilgrims,  a  group  of  rocky 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


islets,  I  went  below,  and  had  not  long  "  turned  in"  when  I 
heard  and  felt  the  dropping  of  the  anchor. 

In  the  morning  I  found  that  we  lay  off  Kamouraska, 
which  is  charmingly  situated  in  a  rich  district,  at  the  base 
of  a  chain  of  hills  that  rise  behind  the  village,  and  stretch 
far  beyond  it.  This  lovely  spot,  being  one  of  the  healthiest 
places  in  Lower  Canada,  attracts  many  visitors  during  the 
summer  season.  It  is  also  enriched  by  the  fisheries  estab- 
lished upon  the  numerous  islands  that  lie  immediately  in 
front,  supplying  abundance  of  shad,  salmon,  herrings,  &c. 
Directly  opposite,  upon  the  other  side  of  the  river,  is  Mur- 
ray Bay,  into  which  flows  the  Malbaie  River,  upon  whose 
banks  reside  the  descendants  of  Wolfe's  highlanders,  many 
of  whom  settled  there,  after  the  campaign.  The  bay  is 
environed  by  an  amphitheatre  of  majestic  hills,  cultivated 
to  the  very  summits,  their  sloping  sides  being  dotted  over 
with  comfortable  abodes. 

We  weighed  anchor  at  noon,  and  gently  glided  through 
a  scene  of  indescribable  loveliness.  The  noble  river  here 
unbroken  by  islands,  presented  a  lake-like  expanse,  bound- 
ed by  the  lofty  Cap  Diable,  and  Goose  Cape.  Village 
succeeded  village  upon  the  south  shore  ;  and  the  gigantic 
hills  upon  the  north  were  adorned  by  sweet  alpine  cots, 
surrounded  by  cleared  patches  of  land,  embosomed  by 
the  dark  green  pines.  The  weather  was  very  warm,  and 
nature  basked  in  uninterrupted  sunshine.  Oh  !  what  a 
contrast  to  this  magic  beauty  was  presented  within  our 
floating  pest-house ;  not  that  matters  were  worse  than  they 
had  been  ;  there  was  rather  an  abatement  in  the  violence 
of  the  fever,  and  I  perceived  some  faces,  that  I  with  diffi- 
culty recognized,  so  changed  were  they  since  I  saw  them, 


72  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

before  their  illness.  Simon  and  Jack  were  both  on  deck,  the 
former  being  deprived  of  memory,  and  partially  deranged 
in  his  mind.  Poor  fellow!  having,  the  previous  voyage, 
fallen  from  the  topsail  yard,  and  injured  his  head,  his  intel- 
lect was  thereby  impaired,  and  the  fever  confirmed  the 
insanity,  which  had  not  left  him  when  I  quitted  the  brig, 
some  three  weeks  after.  Being  now  in  fresh  water  the 
passengers  were  relieved  of  one  calamity,  and  the  women 
who  were  able,  were  busy  washing;  two  or  three  men 
were  also  similarly  engaged,  their  wives  being  unable  ;  and 
we  endeavoured  to  impress  upon  them  the  fact,  that  the 
length  of  our  detention  in  quarantine  would  greatly  depend 
on  the  cleanliness  of  their  persons,  and  of  the  hold.  There 
were  still  some  very  bad  cases,  and  thev  poor  Head  com- 
mittee was  in  great  trouble  about  his  wife,  who  was  dying. 
The  mate  still  kept  up,  being  afraid  of  going  to  hospital, 
but  it  was  quite  evident  that  he  was  very  ill  indeed. 

We  passed  two  steamers  that  were  going  down  the 
river  to  tow  up  ships.  We  also  had  a  Scotch  brig,  the 
"  Delta,"  in  company. 

At  6  p.  M.,  the  tide  being  on  the  ebb,  we  once  more  an- 
chored, opposite  to  the  Isle  aux  Coudres,  which  lies  in 
front  of  St.  Paul's  bay.  This  beautiful  island  was  so 
named  by  Cartier,  who  found  upon  it  a  profusion  of  fil- 
berts. A  smaller  island  lies  inside  of  it,  whose  origin  is 
thus  accounted  for  in  a  manuscript  belonging  to  the  Jesuit 
college  of  Quebec ;  which  relates  the  effects  of  the  earth- 
quake felt  throughout  Canada  in  1663  :  —  "  Near  St.  Paul's 
bay  (fifty  miles  below  Quebec,  on  the  north  side,)  a  moun- 
tain about  a  quarter  of  a  league  in  circumference,  situated 
on  the  shore  of  the   St.  Lawrence,  was  precipitated  into 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  73 

the  river ;  but,  as  if  it  had  only  made  a  plunge,  it  rose  from 
the  bottom  and  became  a  small  island,  forming  with  the 
shore  a  convenient  harbour,  well  sheltered  from  all  winds." 
The  same  authority  says,  "  Lower  down  the  river,  towards 
Point  Alouettes,  an  entire  forest  of  considerable  extent 
was  loosened  from  the  main  bank,  and  slid  into  the  river 
St.  Lawrence,  where  the  trees  took  fresh  root." 

The  rivers  Du  GoufFre  and  Des  Marees  empty  them- 
selves into  St.  Paul's  bay,  flowing  through  luxuriant  val- 
leys, intervening  between  the  detached  mountains. 

Delightfully  located  upon  an  eminence,  on  the  south 
bank,  stands  the  village  of  St.  Anne,  at  the  head  of  a  bay 
of  the  same  name,  into  which  flows  the  river  Quelle.  It 
is  large,  and  has  a  Catholic  College,  and  some  handsome 
churches. 

The  surrounding  country  is  highly  cultivated,  presenting 
every  feature  of  softness  and  beauty  that  can  adorn  a  land- 
scape. 

The  evening  was  a  charming  one,— clear  and  still,  —  the 
water  smooth  as  a  mirror,  in  which  gleamed  the  reflection 
of  the  tin  covered  roofs  and  spires,  that  glittered  in  the  rays 
of  the  setting  sun  ;  while  occasionally  a  huge  snow-white 
porpoise  rose  above  the  surface,  plunging  again  beneath  the 
water,  which  closing,  formed  circles,  becoming  larger  and 
larger,  until  the  unwieldy  creature  again  appeared  and 
formed  them  anew.  I  remained  on  deck  long  after  all 
had  retired  to  rest,  and  watched  the  gray  twilight  creeping 
over  day,  until  it  was  illumined  by  the  pale  moon,  which 
soon  smiled  upon  one  of  earth's  most  beauteous  pictures. 

I  retired  to  my  berth,  and  took  a  short  repose ;  which 
was  broken  shortly  after  midnight  by  the  weighing  of  the 


74  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

anchor.  As  I  wished  not  to  lose  the  sight  of  the  least 
part  of  the  river  (which  I  loved  to  look  upon  by  night  as 
well  as  by  day),  I  hurried  on  deck. 

We  passed  through  the  Traverse  — an  intricate  channel, 
marked  by  floating  lights  —  and  by  the  Pillars,  a  group  of 
dangerous  rocks  on  one  of  which  is  a  revolving  light.  At 
day-break  we  were  passing  Goose  island,  which  at  low 
water  is  connected  with  Crane  island,  on  the  northern 
extremity  of  which  is  the  handsome  residence  of  the  sei- 
gneur. The  southern  bank  presented  the  same  charm- 
ing features,  and  in  the  distance  I  discerned  the  chain  of 
hills  claimed  by  the  United  States  as  the  boundary  of  the 
Stale  of  Maine.  In  a  short  time  we  arrived  before  the 
village  of  St.  Thomas,  picturesquely  situated  on  the  banks 
of  Riviere  du  Sud,  in  which  were  anchored  some  vessels 
which  were  being  freighted  with  lumber  from  the  several 
saw-mills.  The  soil  in  this  neighbourhood  is  exceedingly 
productive,  and  is  well  cultivated  ;  on  which  account  it  is 
called  the  granary  of  the  lower  province.  The  village  is 
of  considerable  extent,  and  is  composed  of  white  houses, 
clustering  around  a  pretty  church.  A  few  miles  further 
sail  brought  us  among  a  number  of  beautiful  islets  —  so 
beautiful  that  they  seemed  like  a  fairy  scene ;  their  verdant 
turf  was  almost  level  with  the  blue  water  that  w^ound 
amongst  them,  submerging  not  a  few,  so  that  the  firs  that 
grew  upon  them  appeared  to  rise  from  the  river.  A  vast 
fleet  of  vessels  lying  at  anchor  told  that  we  had  arrived  at 
Grosse  Isle  ;  and  after  wending  our  way  amongst  isles 
and  ships,  we  dropped  anchor  in  the  ground  allotted  for 
vessels  upon  arrival,  and  hoisted  our  ensign  at  the  peak, 
as  a  signal  for  the  inspecting  physician  to  board  us. 


CHAPTER  X. 

And  when  I  looked,  behold,  an  hand  was  sent  unto  me  ;  and,  lo,  a  roll  of  a 
book  was  therein ; 

And  he  spread  it  before  me;  and  it  was  written  within  and  without;  and 
there  was  written  therein,  lamentations,  and  mourning,  and  woe.  —  Ezekiel. 

Grosse  Isle,  July  28th. 

By  6.  A.  M.,  we  were  settled  in  our  new  position  before 
the  quarantine  station.  The  passengers  that  were  able  to 
be  up  were  all  busy,  cleaning  and  washing,  some  clearing 
the  hold  of  filth,  others  assisting  the  sailors  in  swabbing 
the  deck.  The  mistress  herself  washed  out  the  cabin  last 
evening,  and  put  every  thing  in  order. 

The  captain  commenced  shaving  himself  at  7,  and 
completed  the  operation  in  about  an  hour  and  a  half.  The 
mate  was  unable  to  do  anything,  but  kept  repeatedly  calling 
to  the  mistress  for  brandy,  and  requested  that  his  illness 
should  be  kept  from  the  doctor,  as  he  was  sure  he  had  not 
fever.  Breakfast  was  speedily  despatched,  and  anxiety  was 
depicted  on  every  countenance.  At  9  o'clock  a  boat  was 
perceived  pulling  towards  us,  with  four  oars  and  a  steers- 
man with  a  broad  leafed  straw  hat  and  lea'Jier  coat,  who 
the  pilot  told  us  was  the  inspecting  physician.  In  a  few 
minutes  the  boat  was  alongside,  and  the  doctor  on  deck. 
He  hastily  enquired  for  the  captain,  and  before  he  could  be 
answered  was  down  in  the  cabin  where  the  mistress  was 
finishing  her  toilet.  Having  introduced  himself,  he  en- 
quired if  wc  had  sickness  aboard?  —  Its  nature?  —  How 


76  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

many  deaths  ?  —  How  many  patients  at  present?  These 
questions  being  answered,  and  the  replies  noted  upon  his 
tablet,  he  snatched  up  his  hat,  —  ran  up  the  ladder,  —  along 
the  deck, —  and  down  into  the  hold.  Arrived  there,  "ha!'' 
said  he,  sagaciously,  "  there  is  fever  here."  He  stopped 
beside  the  first  berth  in  which  a  patient  was  lying,  —  felt 
his  pulse,  —  examined  his  tongue, —  and  ran  up  the  ladder 
again.  As  he  passed  by  me  he  handed  me  some  papers 
to  be  filled  up  by  the  captain,  and  to  have  ready  "  to- 
morrow or  next  day."  In  an  instant  he  was  in  his  boat, 
from  which,  while  the  men  were  taking  up  their  oars,  he 
shouted  out  to  me  that  I  was  not  obliged  to  remain  in 
quarantine,  and  might  go  up  to  Quebec  when  I  pleased. 
I  brought  the  papers  to  the  captain,  who  remained  in  the 
cabin,  supposing  that  the  doctor  would  return  thither,  in 
order  to  give  directions  for  our  guidance  ;  and  when  he 
learned  that  that  gentleman  had  gone,  he  was  desperately 
enraged.  The  mistress  endeavored  to  pacify  him  by  sug- 
gesfing  that  it  was  likely  he  would  visit  us  again  in  the  course 
of  the  day,  or  at  least  that  he  would  send  a  message  to  us. 
When  I  acquainted  the  mistress  that  I  was  at  liberty  to  leave 
the  brig,  she  looked  at  me  most  pitifully,  as  if  she  would  say, 
"  Are  you  too  going  to  desert  us."  But  I  had  no  such  in- 
tention, and  was  determined  to  remain  with  them,  at  all 
events  unfil  they  reached  Quebec.  The  poor  passengers 
expecting  that  they  would  be  all  reviewed,  were  dressed  in 
their  best  clothes,  and  were  clean,  though  haggard  and 
weak.  They  were  greatly  disappointed  in  their  expecta- 
tions, as  they  were  under  the  impression  that  the  sick  would 
be  immediately  admitted  to  the  hospital,  and  the  healthy 
landed  upon   the  island,  there  to  remain  until  taken  to 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  77 

Quebec  by  a  steamer.  Indeed,  such  was  the  procedure  to 
be  inferred  from  the  book  of  directions  given  to  the  captain 
by  the  pilot,  when  he  came  aboard. 

When  the  mistress  appeared  on  deck,  I  scarcely  knew 
her.  She  usually  wore  a  black  stuff  gown,  a  red  worsted 
"  bosom  friend,"  which  she  told  me  (at  least  once  a  day,) 
was  knit  for  her  by  her  neice;  —  with  a  cap  having  three 
full  borders,  which  projected  beyond  the  leaf  of  the  little 
straw  bonnet,  covered  with  the  accumulated  stains  and 
smoke  of  many  a  voyage.  Now,  she  had  on  a  new  fancy 
striped  calico  dress,  as  showy  as  deep  reds,  yellows,  blues 
and  greens  could  make  it,  —  a  black  satin  bonnet,  with  no 
lack  of  red  ribands,  and  a  little  conservatory  of  artificials 
around  her  good  natured  face,  —  not  forgetting  her  silver 
spectacles.  All  day  long  we  kept  looking  out  for  a  mes- 
sage from  shore,  and  in  watching  the  doctor's  boat,  going 
from  vessel  to  vessel ;  his  visit  to  each  occupying  about 
the  same  time  as  to  us,  which  was  exactly  five  minutes. 
We  sometimes  fancied  that  he  was  making  for  us,  but  the 
boat  the  next  moment  would  be  concealed  by  some  large 
ship;  then  we  were  sure  we  would  be  the  next;  but  no, 
the  rowers  pulled  for  shore.  The  day  wore  away  before 
we  gave  up  hope. 

I  could  not  believe  it  possible,  that  here  within  reach  of 
help  we  should  be  left  as  neglected  as  when  upon  the 
ocean  ;  —  that  after  a  voyage  of  two  months'  duration,  we 
were  to  be  left  still  enveloped  by  reeking  pestilence,  the 
sick  without  medicine,  medical  skill,  nourishment,  or  so 
much  as  a  drop  of  pure  water ;  for  the  river  although  not 
saline  here,  was  polluted  by  the  most  disgusting  objects, 
thrown    overboard   from   the   several    vessels.      In   short, 


78  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


it  was  a  floating  mass  of  filthy  straw,  the  refuse  of  foul 
beds,  barrels  containing  the  vilest  matter,  old  rags,  and  tat- 
tered clothes,  &c.,  &c.  The  Head  committee  was  gi'eatly 
grieved  for  his  wife,  whose  death  he  momentarily  expect- 
ed. He  had  looked  anxiously  forward  to  the  time  when 
we  should  arrive  here,  hoping  that  at  least  the  doctor 
would  see  her ;  but  his  hopes,  as  well  as  those  of  others, 
were  suddenly  blasted.  The  brig  that  arrived  with  us 
sailed  for  Quebec  immediately  after  the  doctor's  visit,  pos- 
sibly not  having  had  any  sickness :  five  other  vessels  also 
were  discharged.  How  long  they  were  detained,  we  could 
not  tell;  but  the  captain  was  so  provoked,  that  he  vowed 
he  would  sail  without  permission.  The  pilot,  who  did  not 
well  understand  his  hasty  disposition,  ventured  to  remon- 
strate with  him,  and  fell  in  for  a  hurricane  of  curses  and 
abuse ;  to  which,  though  ignorant  of  many  of  the  expres- 
sions, he  replied  in  French,  not  finding  himself  sufficiently 
eloquent  in  the  English  tongue. 

Four  vessels  arrived  with  the  evening  tide,  and  hoisted 
their  signals,  but  were  not  visited.  Several  sailed  by  us 
without  stopping,  not  having  passengers,  and  a  vast  num- 
ber went  down  the  river  during  the  day.  Two  huge 
steamers  also  arrived,  and  in  the  afternoon  brought  ofi^ 
hundreds  of  human  beings  from  the  island. 

Thursday,  July  29th. 

This  morning  a  boat  was  perceived  making  towards  us, 
which  at  first  was  thought  to  be  the  doctor's ;  but  when  it 
approached  nearer  there  appeared  but  two  persons  in  it, 
both  of  whom  were  rowing.  In  a  few  minutes  more  the 
boat  was  alongside,  and  from  the  cassocks  and  bands  of 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


79 


the  two  gentlemen  we  learned  that  they  were  Canadian 
priests.  They  came  on  deck,  each  carrying  a  large  black 
bag.  They  inquired  for  the  captain,  who  received  them 
courteously,  and  introduced  them  to  the  mistress  and  to 
mc,  after  which  they  conversed  awhile  in  French  with-  the 
pilot,  whom  they  knew ;  when,  having  put  on  their  vest- 
ments, they  descended  into  the  hold.  They  there  spent  a 
few  minutes  with  each  of  the  sick,  and  administered  the 
last  rites  to  the  dying  woman  and  an  old  man,  terminating 
their  duties  by  baptizing  the  infant.  They  remained  in 
the  hold  for  about  an  hour,  and  when  they  returned  com- 
plimented the  captain  on  the  cleanliness  of  the  vessel. 
They  staid  a,  short  time  talking  to  us  upon  deck,  and  the 
account  they  gave  of  the  horrid  condition  of  many  of  the 
ships  in  quarantine  was  frightful.  In  the  holds  of  some  of 
them  they  said,  that  they  were  up  to  their  ancles  in  fihh. 
The  wretched  emigrants  crowded  together  like  cattle,  and 
corpses  remaining  long  unburied,  the  sailors  being  ill,  and 
the  passengers  unwilling  to  touch  them.  They  also  told 
us  of  the  vast  numbers  of  sick  in  the  hospitals,  and  in  tents? 
upon  the  island,  and  that  many  nuns,  clergymen  and  doc- 
tors, were  lying  in  typhus  fever,  taken  from  the  patients. 
They  were  exceedingly  intelligent  and  gentlemanly  men, 
and  telling  us  that  we  had  great  cause  of  thankfulness  in 
having  escaped  much  better  than  so  many  others,  they 
politely  bowed,  and  got  into  their  little  boat,  amid  the 
blessings  of  the  passengers,  who  watched  them  until  they 
arrived  beside  a  distant  ship. 

The  Head  committee  expressed  himself  satisfied  that 
his  wife  saw  a  priest  before  her  death,  which  occurred 
about  an  hour  after;  and  as  the  pilot  said  that  the  remains 


80  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

should  not  be  thrown  into  the  river,  there  being  a  burial 
ground  upon  the  island,  the  corpse  lay  in  the  hold  until 
the  next  day. 

The  mate  continued  to  grow  worse,  and  the  mistress 
was  unceasing  in  her  attention  to  him.  The  day  was  ex- 
ceedingly hot  and  sultry,  and  I  could  not  have  remained 
on  deck,  but  the  captain  spread  an  awning  over  it,  which 
kept  the  cabin  cool.  We  lay  at  some  distance  from  the 
island,  the  distant  view  of  which  was  exceedingly  beautiful. 
At  the  far  end  were  rows  of  white  tents  and  marquees, 
resembling  the  encampment  of  an  army  ;  somewhat  nearer 
was  the  little  fort,  and  residence  of  the  superintendent 
physician,  and  nearer  still  the  chapel,  seaman's  hospital, 
and  little  village,  with  its  wharf  and  a  few  sail  boats ;  the 
most  adjacent  extremity  being  rugged  rocks,  among 
which  grew  beautiful  fir  trees.  At  high  water  this  portion 
was  detached  from  the  main  island,  and  formed  a  most 
picturesque  islet.  But  this  scene  of  natural  beauty  was 
sadly  deformed  by  the  dismal  display  of  human  suffer- 
ing that  it  presented  ;  —  helpless  creatures  being  carried  by 
sailors  over  the  rocks,  on  their  way  to  the  hospital,  —  boats 
arriving  with  patients,  some  of  whom  died  in  their  trans- 
mission from  their  ships.  Another  and  still  more  awful 
sight,  was  a  continuous  line  of  boats,  each  carrying  its 
freight  of  dead  to  the  burial-ground,  and  forming  an  endless 
funeral  procession.  Some  had  several  corpses,  so  tied  up 
in  canvass  that  the  stiff,  sharp  outline  of  death  was  easily 
traceable ;  others  had  rude  coffins,  constructed  by  the  sail- 
ors, from  the  boards  of  their  berths,  or  I  should  rather  say, 
cribs.  In  a  few,  a  solitary  mourner  attended  the  remains ; 
but  the  majority  contained  iro  living  beings  save  the  rowers. 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  81 

I  could  not  remove  ray  eyes  until  boat  after  boat  was  hid 
by  the  projecting  point  of  the  island,  round  which  they 
steered  their  gloomy  way.  From  one  ship,  a  boat  pro- 
ceeded four  times  during  the  day ;  each  time  laden  with  a 
cargo  of  dead.  I  ventured  to  count  the  number  of  boats 
that  passed,  but  had  to  give  up  the  sickening  task. 

The  inspecting  doctor  went  about  from  vessel  to  vessel, 
six  of  which  came  in  each  tide,  and  as  many  sailed. 

We  expected  him  to  visit  us  every  moment ;  but  he  did 
not  come  near  us. 

In  the  afternoon  a  boat  made  for  our  brig,  and  the  mis- 
tress, who  was  on  deck,  was  greatly  delighted  to  find  that 
it  contained  two  "  captains,"  one  of  whom  was  her  nephew. 
One  arrived  the  day  before  we  came  ;  the  other  a  day  pre- 
vious. They  were  as  ignorant  of  the  course  of  proceeding 
as  we ;  and  before  they  went  away  it  was  agreed  on,  that 
they,  our  captain,  and  I,  should  wait  on  the  superintendent 
physician  the  next  day. 


CHAPTER  XI 

As  from  the  wing  no  scar  the  sky  retains, 

The  parted  wave  no  furrow  from  tlie  keel, 

So  dies  in  human  hearts  the  thought  of  death. 

E'en  with  the  tears  which  nature  shed 

O'er  those  we  love,  we  drop  it  in  their  gVaves.  Youno. 

Friday,  July  30th. 

This  morning,  when  I  came  on  deck,  a  sailor  was  busily 
employed  constructing  a  coffin  for  the  remains  of  the 
Head  committee's  wife;  and  it  was  afflicting  to  hear 
the  husband's  groans  and  sobs  accompanying  each  sound 
of  the  saw  and  hammer,  while  with  his  motherless  infant 
in  his  arms  he  looked  on.  About  an  hour  after,  the  boat 
was  lowered,  and  the  bereaved  husband,  with  four  rowers, 
proceeded  to  the  burial  ground  to  inter  the  corpse ;  and 
they  were  followed  by  many  a  tearful  eye,  until  the  boat 
disappeared  behind  the  rocky  point. 

At  10,  A.  M.,  we  descried  the  doctor  making  for  us,  his 
boatmen  pulling  lustily  through  the  heavy  sea ;  a  few  min- 
utes brought  him  alongside  and  on  board,  when  he  ran 
down  to  the  cabin  and  demanded  if  the  papers  were  filled 
up  with  a  return  of  the  number  of  deaths  at  sea?  how 
many  cases  of  sickness  ?  &c.  He  was  handed  them  by 
the  captain;  when  he  enquired,  —  how  many  patients  we 
then  had  ;  he  was  told  there  were  twelve ;  when  he  wrote 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  83 

an  order  to  admit  six  lo  hospital ;  saying  that  the  rest  should 
be  admitted  when  there  was  room;  there  being  2500  at 
that  time  upon  the  island,  and  hundreds  lying  in  the  va- 
rious vessels  before  it.  The  order  written,  he  returned  to 
his  boat,  and  then  boarded  a  ship  lying  close  to  us,  which 
lowered  her  signal  when  he  approached.  Several  other 
vessels  that  arrived  in  the  mornipg,  had  their  ensigns  flying 
at  the  peak,  until  each  was  visited  in  turn. 

Immediately  after  the  doctor  left  us,  the  captain  gave 
orders  to  have  the  patients  in  readiness.  Shortly  after, 
our  second  boat  was  launched,  and  four  of  the  passen- 
gers volunteered  to  row;  the  sailors  that  were  able  to 
work,  being  with  the  other.  O  God  !  may  I  never  again 
witness  such  a  scene  as  that  which  followed;  —  the  hus- 
band, —  the  only  support  of  an  emaciated  wife  and  helpless 
family, — torn  away  forcibly  from  them,  ia  a  strange  land  ; 
the  mother  dragged  from  her  orphan  children,  that  clung  to 
her  until  she  was  lifted  over  the  bulwarks,  rending  the  air 
with  their  shrieks  ;  children  snatched  from  their  bereaved 
parents,  who  were  perhaps  ever  to  remain  ignorant  of  their 
recovery,  or  death.  The  screams  pierced  my  brain  ;  and 
the  excessive  agony  so  rent  my  heart,  that  I  was  obliged  to 
retire  to  the  cabin,  where  the  mistress  sat  weeping  bitterly. 

The  captain  went  in  the  boat,  and  returned  in  about  an 
hour ;  giving  us  a  frightful  account  of  what  he  witnessed 
upon  the  island. 

The  steamers  returned,  and  all  the  afternoon  were  en- 
gaged, taking  the  healthy  passengers  out  of  some  of  the 
vessels  ;  they  went  alongside  several  until  their  cargo  was 
complete,  when  they  sailed  for  Montreal,  their  decks  thickly 
crowded  with  human   beings;  and  most  extraordinary  to 


84 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


relate,  each  of  them  had  a  fiddler,  and  a  dancing  party  in 
the  prow. 

Early  in  the  evening  the  captain's  nephew  came  to  take 
us  in  his  boat,  on  shore.  After  a  long  pull  through  a  heavy 
swell,  we  landed  upon  the  Isle  of  Pestilence ;  and  climbing 
over  the  rocks  passed  through  the  little  town,  and  by  the 
hospitals,  behind  which  were  piles  upon  piles  of  unsightly 
coffins.  A  little  further  on,  at  the  edge  of  a  beautiful  sandy 
beach,  were  several  tents,  into  one  of  which  I  looked,  but 
had  no  desire  to  see  the  interior  of  any  others.  We  pur- 
sued our  way,  by  a  road  cut  through  a  romantic  grove  of 
firs,  birch,  beech,  and  ash,  beneath  the  shade  of  which  grew 
and  blossomed  charming  wild  flowers,  while  the  most  cu- 
rious fungi  vegetated  upon  odd,  decayed  stumps.  The  path 
led  us  into  a  cleared  lawn,  passing  through  which,  we  arriv- 
ed in  front  of  the.£uperintendent  physician's  cottage,  placed 
upon  a  sloping  bank  at  the  river's  side,  on  which  were 
mounted  two  pieces  of  ordnance  guarded  by  a  sentinel. , 
The  view  from  this  spot  was  exquisitely  beautiful ;  —  upon 
the  distant  bank  of  the  broad  river  were  the  smiling,  happy- 
looking  Canadian  villages,  backed  by  deep,  blue  hills,  while 
the  agitated  water  in  front  tossed  the  noble  vessels  that  lay 
at  anchor,  and  which  were  being  swung  round  by  the  turn- 
ing tide. 

The  doctor  not  being  within,  we  walked  about  until  his 
return  ;  when  he  invited  us  into  his  cottage  and  heard  what 
the  captains  had  to  say ;  after  which  he  promised  to  dis- 
charge our  friend  the  next  day,  and  that  he  would  send  a 
steamer  to  take  our  passengers.  He  also  gave  the  captain 
an  order  for  the  admission  of  the  mate  to  the  seaman's  hos- 
pital.    Our  mission  having  been  so  successful,  we  thanked 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  85 

the  doctor  and  departed.  Upon  our  return  we  called  at 
the  store  licensed  to  sell  provisions  upon  the  island.  It 
was  well  slocked  with  various  commodities,  among  which 
were  carrion  beef,  and  cattish  mutton,  bread,  flour,  cheese, 
&c.  Although  the  captain  wished  to  treat  the  mistress  to 
fresh  meat,  he  declined  purchasing  what  we  saw,  and 
merely  bought  some  flour.  The  storekeeper  did  not  lack 
better  custoriiers,  however,  for  there  was  a  vast  concourse 
of  mates,  stewards,  seamen,  and  boys,  buying  his  different 
articles,  and  stowing  them  away  in  their  boats.  The  de- 
mand for  bread  was  very  great ;  and  several  batches  were 
yielded  from  a  large  oven,  while  we  remained. 

Hearing  the  music  of  a  fiddle  accompanied  by  the  stamp- 
ing of  feet  in  time  with  the  tune,  I  walked  up  to  the  shed 
from  which  it  issued.  There  were  two  men  dancing  a 
jig;  one  of  them  a  Canadian,  the  other  a  sailor,  —  both 
fine  fellows,  who  were  evidently  pitted  against  each  other, 
in  a  trial  of  skill.  The  former  wore  huge  boots  coming 
above  the  knees,  and  drawn  over  his  gray  trowsers  com  - 
posed  of  "etofte  du  pays,"  —  alight  blue  flannel  shirt 
confined  at  the  waist  by  a  scarlet  scarf,  whose  parti  colored 
ends  hung  at  one  side.  On  his  head  was  a  woollen  "bon- 
net rouge,"  whose  tassel  jumped  about  with  the  wearer's 
movements.  His  brilliant  black  eyes  lighted  up  his  sallow 
visage,  and  his  arms  were  as  busily  engaged  as  his  legs. 
The  sailor  was  rigged  out  in  pumps,  white  trowsers,  blue 
jacket,  and  straw  hat  with  streaming  black  ribands ;  his 
ruddy  face  glowing  with  the  exercise.  The  fiddler's  cos- 
tume was  similar  to  that  of  his  brother  Canadian,  except 
that  his  "bonnet"  was  blue  ;  he  stood  upon  a  barrel ;  and 
around  the  dancers  was  a  circle  of  "  habitans  "  and  sailors, 
who  encouraged  them  by  repeated  "  bravos."     I  did  not 


86 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


remain  long,  nor  could  I  enjoy  the  amusement  in  such  a 
place;  and  therefore  joined  my  companions  in  the  boat; 
where  we  were  detained  a  few  moments,  while  one  of  the 
men  returned  for  lime,  which  the  captain  had  forgotten  to 
procure.  He  soon  returned,  and  again  ploughing  through 
the  waves,  we  shortly  arrived  beneath  the  "  Leander ;"  after 
examining  which  noble  ship,  the  captain  and  I  returned  to 
the  brig,  and  acquainted  the  mistress  with  the  issue  of  our 
adventure. 

Our  boat  returned,  just  at  the  same  time ;  the  men  hav- 
ing been  away  all  the  day.  It  appeared  that  they  could 
not  find  the  burial  ground,  and  consequently  dug  a  grave 
upon  an  island,  when  as  they  were  depositing  the  remains 
they  were  discovered,  and  obliged  to  decamp.  They  were 
returning  to  the  brig,  when  they  perceived  several  boats 
proceeding  in  another  direction,  and  having  joined  them, 
were  conducted  to  the  right  place.  The  wretched  husband 
was  a  very  picture  of  desperation  and  misery,  that  in- 
creased the  ugliness  of  his  countenance;  —  for  he  was 
sadly  disfigured  by  the  marks  of  small  pox,  and  was  blind 
of  an  eye.  He  walked  moodily  along  the  deck,  snatched 
his  child  from  a  woman's  arms,  and  went  down  into  the 
hold  without  speaking  a  word.  Shortly  after,  one  of  the 
sailors  who  was  with  the  boat  told  me,  that  after  the  graye 
was  filled  up,  he  took  the  shovels  and  placing  them  cross- 
wise upon  it,  calling  heaven  to  witness  said,  "  By  that 
cross,  Mary,  I  swear  to  revenge  your  death ;  as  soon  as  I 
earn  the  price  of  my  passage  home,  I'll  go  back,  and  shoot 
the  man  that  murdered  you,  and  that's  the  landlord." 

Saturday,  July  31st. 

It  was  with  great  reluctance  the  mate  consented  to  go  to 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  97 

hospital,  and  as  he  went  into  the  boat  he  charged  the  cap- 
tain, the  mistress,  and  me  with  cruehy.  The  captain  went 
with  him,  and  gave  him  in  charge  of  a  doctor. 

In  consequence  of  the  superintendent's  promise  to  send 
a  steamer  to  take  our  passengers,  and  to  give  us  clean  bills 
if  the  vessel  were  well  whitewashed  between  decks,  the 
passengers'  births  were  all  knocked  away,  and  the  filthy 
boards  thrown  into  the  river ;  after  which  four  men  worked 
away  cleaning  and  whitening  all  the  day;  but  no  steamer 
arrived  that  day.  One  which  lay  over  night,  took  250 
passengers  from  the  captain's  nephew,  who  sailed  not 
long  after.  Vessels  were  arriving  with  every  tide ;  two 
ships  from  Bremen  came  in  the  morning  and  were  dis- 
charged at  once,  having  no  sickness ;  some  others  sailed 
up  with  the  evening  tide,  after  which  there  were  more 
than  thirty  in  quarantine.  Boats  were  plying  all  day  long, 
between  the  several  vessels  and  the  island ;  and  the  sea 
being  high  the  miserable  patients  were  drenched  by  the 
spray ;  after  which  they  had  to  clamber  over  the  slimy 
rocks,  or  were  carried  by  sailors.  There  was  also  an 
almost  unbroken  line  of  boats  carrying  the  dead  for  inter- 
ment; then  there  was  the  doctor's  boat  unceasingly  shoot- 
ing about;  besides  several  others  containing  captains  of 
ships,  many  of  whom  had  handsome  gigs  with  six  oars, 
and  uniformly -dressed  rowers.  It  was  indeed  a  busy 
scene  of  life  and  death.  To  complete  the  picture,  the 
rigging  of  the  vessels  was  covered  over  with  the  passen- 
gers' linen,  hanging  out  to  dry  ;  by  the  character  of  which 
as  they  fluttered  in  the  breeze,  I  could  tell  with  accuracy 
from  what  country  they  came;  alas!  the  wretched  rags  of 
the  majority  told  but  too  plainly  that  they  were  Irish. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

O  the  tender  ties, 
Close  twisted  with  the  fibres  of  the  heart, 
Which  broken  bretik  them,  and  drain  off  the  soul 
Of  human  joy ;  and  make  it  pain  to  live.  Young. 

Sunday,  August  1st. 

The  passengers  passed  a  miserable  night,  huddled  up,  as 
they  were  without  room  to  stretch  their  weary  limbs.  I 
pilied  them  from  my  soul,  and  it  was  sickening  to  see 
them  drink  the  filthy  water.  I  could  not  refuse  to  give  one 
or  two  of  them  a  mouthful  from  the  cask  upon  the  quarter 
deck,  which  fortunately  was  filled  lower  down  the  river. 
They  asked  for  it  so  pitifully,  and  were  so  thankful ;  but  I 
could  not  satisfy  all  and  regretted  the  disappointment  of 
many. 

They  had  on  their  best  clothes,  and  were  all  clean,  with 
the  exception  of  one  incorrigible  family.  The  doctor  came 
on  board  in  the  forenoon,  to  inspect  the  passengers,  who 
were  all  called  on  deck,  but  those  who  were  unable.  Plac- 
ing himself  at  a  barrier,  he  allowed  each  to  pass,  one  by 
one ;  making  those  he  suspected  of  being  feverish,  show 
their  tongues.  This  proceeding  lasted  about  a  quarter  of 
an  hour;  when  the  doctor  went  into  the  hold  to  examine 
those  below,  and  to  see  if  it  were  clean  ;  he  then  wrote  out 
the  order  to  admit  the  six  patients  to  hospital,  and  promised 
to  send  the  steamer  to  take  the  remainder ;  after  which  we 
should  have  clean  bills.     When  he  had  gone,  the  patients 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  89 


were  lowered  into  the  boat  amid  a  renewal  of  the  inde- 
scribable woe  that  followed  the  previous  separations.  Two 
of  them  were  orphan  sisters,  who  were  sent  for  by  a  brother 
in  Upper  Canada.  Another  was  a  mother,  who  had  tended 
all  her  family  through  illness,  —  now  careworn,  and  heart- 
broken, she  became  herself  a  prey. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  voyage,  I  observed  the  unfilial 
conduct  of  a  boy,  who  frequently  abused,  and  even  cursed 
his  mother,  following  the  example  set  by  his  wretched 
father.  On  one  occasion,  his  hand  was  raised  to  strike  her, 
when  his  arm  was  arrested  by  a  bystander;  but  the  poor  wo- 
man begged  of  the  man  not  to  punish  him,  and  wept  for  the 
depravity  of  her  son.  It  was  she  who  was  now  being  car- 
ried to  the  boat ;  while  the  boy  who  cursed  and  would 
have  stricken  her,  clung  to  her,  crying,  and  imploring  her 
blessing  and  forgiveness ;  but  she  was  unable  to  utter  a 
word,  and  by  an  effort  raised  her  arm  feebly  and  looked 
sadly  upon  the  afflicted  boy,  who  seized  her  hand  and 
bathed  it  with  his  tears,  until  he  was  torn  away,  and  she 
dropped  into  the  boat,  which  a  moment  after  rowed  off. 
I  felt  much  for  the  poor  fellow,  who  was  conscious  that  he 
should  never  again  see  his  mother ;  for  there  was  no  hope 
of  her  recovery;  and  I  little  thought  that  any  one  could  be 
so  heartless  as  to  aggravate  his  sufferings,  as  did  two  or 
three  women  who  surrounded  him,  one  of  them  saying, 
"Ha!  you  villain,  there's  the  mother  you  abused,  and 
cursed,  you  rascal !  you  may  now  take  your  last  look  at 
her."  He  followed  the  boat  with  his  eyes,  uniil  it  reached 
the  shore  ;  when  he  beheld  the  inanimate  figure  borne  to 
the  hospital.  It  was  evident  from  the  poignancy  of  his 
sorrow,  that  his  heart  was  not  depraved,  but  that  his  mis- 
5* 


90  THE   OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

conduct  arose  from  education.  The  morning  was  fine, 
clear  and  warm,  and  many  of  the  vessels  were  decorated 
with  their  flags,  giving  a  cheerful  aspect  to  the  scene, 
which  alas,  was  marred  by  the  ensigns  of  two  ships  (one 
on  either  side  of  us),  which  were  hoisted  half-mast  high, 
the  captain  of  one,  and  the  chief  mate  of  the  other,  being 
dead.  While  the  captain  v/as  away  with  the  boat  the 
steamer  came  alongside  of  us  to  take  our  passengers.  It 
did  not  take  very  long  to  transship  them,  as  few  of  them 
had  any  luggage.  IMany  of  Ihem  were  sadly  disappointed 
wdien  they  learned  that  they  were  to  be  carried  on  to  Mon- 
treal, as  those  who  had  left  their  relatives  upon  Grosse  Isle, 
hoped,  that  as  Quebec  was  not  far  distant,  they  would  be 
enabled  by  some  means  to  hear  of  them,  by  staying  there. 
Each  of  them  shook  hands  with  the  mistress,  and  all 
heaped  blessings  upon  her  head  ;  and  as  to  the  captain, 
one  of  them  remarked  that  "  though  he  was  a  divil,  he  was 
a  gintleman." 

The  steamer  pushed  off,  amid  the  cheers  of  her  motley 
freight,  and  was  soon  out  of  sight.  The  mistress  was 
quite  overcome  by  the  expressions  of  the  poor  creatures' 
gratitude  for  her  unceasing,  and  otherwise  unrequited 
attention,  and  benevolence.  The  captain  returned,  and 
after  dinner  he  and  I  went  ashore  for  our  clean  bills  of 
health.  We  saw  Dr.  Douglass,  who  informed  us  that  the 
inspecting  physician,  Dr.  Jaques,  had  them,  and  that  he 
was  going  his  rounds  among  the  vessels ;  with  the  inten- 
tion of  calling  at  the  brig.  But  as  we  considered  that  it 
would  probably  be  late  before  he  would  reach  her,  we 
pulled  for  a  barque,  beside  which  we  descried  the  well 
known  boat.     Before  we  were  half  way,  it  was  gone  and 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  91 


making  for  a  ship  some  distance  off;  however,  we  still 
followed,  and  again  were  disappointed.  We  determined 
not  to  give  up  the  chase,  and  at  length  caught  the  doctor 
on  board  a  German  emigrant  vessel.  He  was  inspecting 
the  passengers,  of  whom  there  were  500,  —  all  of  them 
(without  a  single  exception,)  comfortably  and  neatly  clad, 
clean,  and  happy.  There  was  no  sickness  amongst  them, 
and  each  comely  fair  haired  girl  laughed  as  she  passed  the 
doctor,  to  join  the  group  of  robust  young  men  who  had 
undergone  the  ordeal. 

Although  it  was  pleasing  to  see  so  many  joyous  beings, 
it  made  me  sad  when  I  thought  of  the  very,  very  differ- 
ent state  of  my  unfortunate  compatriots ;  and  I  had  be- 
come so  habituated  to  misery,  disease,  and  death,  that  the 
happiness  that  now  surrounded  me  was  quite  discordant 
with  my  feelings.  The  doctor  having  completed  his  task, 
countersigned  our  clean  bills,  and  handed  them  to  the  cap- 
tain ;  we  therefore  thanked  him  and  took  our  leave.  Before 
returning  to  the  brig,  we  called  to  see  the  mate,  who  was 
lying  with  his  clothes  on,  upon  a  bed;  the  next  one  to 
which  contained  a  figure  writhing  in  torture,  and,  as  the 
face  was  turned  towards  me,  I  recognized  to  my  great 
surprise  and  dismay,  the  sailor,  who,  but  the  evening  but 
one  before,  was  dancing  with  the  Canadian.  When 
the  mate  perceived  us,  he  rose  from  the  bed,  and  taking 
the  captain  by  one  arm,  and  me  by  the  other,  walked  us 
both  out  of  the  hospital,  to  the  porch  ;  saying  that  we  had 
no  business  there,  as  there  was  fever  upon  all  sides  of  us. 
The  hospital  was  a  large  chapel,  transformed  to  its  present 
use,  and  was  exceedingly  clean  and  well  ventilated,  the 
large  windows  were  all  opeq,  causing  a  draught  of  air  that 
was  agreeable ;  the  evening  being  very  sultry. 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


We  did  not  remain  long  with  the  mate,  who  raved  con- 
siderably in  his  conversation,  though  he  said  he  was  quite 
well ;  so,  the  captain  giving  him  in  charge  of  the  attendant, 
with  pressing  injunctions  to  have  every  attention  paid  to 
him,  and  saying  that  he  hoped  he  would  be  able  to  join 
the  brig  upon  his  return,  we  departed.  As  we  got  into  the 
boat,  we  made  a  signal  to  the  pilot  (who  was  desired  to  be 
on  the  lookout,)  to  weigh  anchor,  so  as  not  to  lose  the  tide 
by  any  unnecessary  delay.  As  we  repassed  the  German 
ship,  the  deck  was  covered  with  emigrants,  who  were  sing- 
ing a  charming  hymn,  in  whose  beautiful  harmony  all  took 
part ;  spreading  the  music  of  their  five  hundred  voices  upon 
the  calm,  still  air,  that  wafted  it  around.  The  vessel  being 
discharged,  began  to  move  almost  imperceptibly,  so  that 
we  quickly  passed  her;  but  she  gradually  gained  speed, 
and  was  ahead  of  us  by  the  time  we  reached  the  brig,  and 
as  the  distance  between  us  increased,  the  anthem  died 
away,  until  it  became  inaudible.  It  was  the  finest  chorus 
I  ever  heard,  —  performed  in  a  theatre  of  unrivalled  mag- 
nificence. 

The  mistress  was  delighted  when  she  learned  that  we 
were  free,  and  all  were  glad  to  leave  behind  the  Isle  of 
Death,  though  we  regretted  leaving  the  mate  there.  The 
sailors  that  had  been  ill,  still  continuing  very  weak,  the 
captain  induced  two  young  men  to  remain,  in  order  to  as- 
sist in  working  the  vessel.  At  7  p.  m.  the  anchor  was 
weighed,  the  sails  unreefed,  and  we  glided  slowly  along. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

Sail  on,  sail  on,  thou  fearless  bark, 

Wherever  blows  the  welcome  wind ; 
It  cannot  lead  to  scenes  more  dark, 

More  sad,  than  those  we  leave  behind.  Moore. 

Monday,  August  2d. 

It  was  indeed  with  gratefulness  to  the  Almighty  for  hav- 
ing preserved  me  scathless  in  the  midst  of  the  dread 
pestilence,  that  I  left  Grosse  Isle ;  and  a  more  beautiful 
panorama  I  never  beheld,  than  the  country  through  which 
we  passed,  —  the  churches  of  St.  Thomas'  and  St.  Pierre's, 
syrrounded  by  handsome  cottages  and  beautiful  fields; 
on  our  rigiit  Isle  Madame,  the  largest  of  the  numerous 
islands  that  clustered  in  the  centre  of  the  river,  embo- 
somed in  the  mighty  stream,  beyond  which  rose  Cap 
Tourment,  with  the  village  of  St.  Joachim  at  its  base. 
And  Mount  St.  Anne,  sheltering  its  village  also;  both  of 
these  lofty  hills  being  of  a  deep  purple  hue.  At  sunset  we 
had  reached  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  Isle  of  Orleans ; 
and  an  hour  after,  dropped  anchor  before  St.  Francois, — 
a  sweet  village  composed  of  quaint  looking  cottages,  whose 
walls  were  as  white  as  snow ;  with  red  roofs,  bright  yellow 
doors,  and  green  Venetian  window  blinds.  Such  was  the 
universal  style,  all  of  them  appearing  as  if  they  had  been 
newly  painted. 

We  again  set  sail,  soon  after  day-break  this  morning, 
with  a  breeze  against  us,  which  compelled  us  to  tack  about. 


94  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

I  did  not  regret  this,  as  I  had  many  near  views  of  the 
southern  bank  of  the  river,  and  of  the  beautiful  shore  of 
Orleans  island,  with  its  luxuriant  orchards  and  well  culti- 
vated farms,  sloping  down  to  the  water's  edge ;  and  dark 
forest  upon  the  crest  of  its  elevated  interior.  This  fine 
island,  which  is  20  miles  in  length,  and  five  in  width,  is 
divided  into  five  parishes,  and  has  a  population  of  5000 
Canadians.  While  it  is  an  object  of  the  greatest  beauty, 
it  is  at  the  same  time  of  great  usefulness,  aftording  shelter 
to  the  harbor  of  Quebec  on  the  east  side,  and  producing 
large  supplies  of  fruits  and  vegetables  of  the  finest  descrip- 
tion. The  northern  shore  consists  of  low  and  marshy 
beaches,  that  abound  with  game.  It  is  surprising  that  there 
is  no  regular  communication  between  the  island  and  the 
city,  during  the  summer  season ;  but  in  winter  it  is  easy  of 
access,  over  the  frozen  river,  when  the  inhabitants  convey 
their  produce  to  market.  When  Cartier  visited  it  in  the 
year  1535,  the  island  was  covered  with  vines,  on  which  ac- 
count he  called  it  the  Isle  of  Bacchus.  It  was  on  it,  also, 
that  Wolfe  took  up  his  quarters  previous  to  the  attack  upon 
Quebec.  At  8  a.  m.  we  passed  St.  Vallier  and  St.  John's  ; 
the  latter  upon  the  island,  consisting  of  entirely  white  cot- 
tages, which  are  chiefly  inhabited  by  the  branch  pilots, 
upwards  of  250  of  whom  find  lucrative  employment  in  the 
river  navigation  during  the  season,  enabling  them  and 
their  families  to  live  comfortably  through  the  long  winter, 
in  which  they  are  unemployed. 

At  noon,  we  dropped  anchor  again,  before  St.  Michel's, 
where  we  lay  until  6  p.  m.,  when  we  once  more  renewed 
our  tacks,  passing  the  sheltered  cove  called  Patrick's  hole, 
in  which  a  fine  ship  rode,  previous  to  leaving  port  for  sea. 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  95 

This  litlle  natural  harbour  is  very  valuable,  as  it  securely 
shelters  vessels  that  arrive  before  the  winter's  ice  is  suffi- 
ciently broken  up  to  allow  them  to  gain  the  city. 

At  Anse  au  Maraud,  —  which  is  adjacent,  there  were 
launched  in  the  year  1824,  two  enormous  ships  —  the  Co- 
lumbus and  the  Baron  of  Renfrew,  which  were  built  with 
the  intention  of  being  broken  up  in  England,  the  projectors 
thinking  thereby  to  save  the  duty  on  the  timber  of  which 
they  were  constructed :  but  their  object  was  frustrated  by 
the  decision  that  a  voyage  should  previously  be  made  out 
of  an  English  port.  The  Columbus  traversed  the  Atlantic, 
and  returned  in  safety ;  but  was  wrecked  upon  her  second 
voyage.  The  Baron,  in  whose  construction  six  thousand 
tons  of  timber  were  consumed,  was  309  feet  long,  and  of 
proportionate  breadth. 

She  sailed  for  London  on  the  25lh  of  August,  1S25,  with 
a  cargo  (it  is  said  of  10,000  tons)  of  lumber,  her  four  masts 
crowded  with  sails,  and  followed  down  the  river  by  a  fleet 
of  steamers  and  pleasure  yachts.  After  a  voyage  of  fifty 
days,  she  arrived  at  Dover,  where  she  took  on  board  both 
Deal  and  river  pilots;  but  her  draft  of  water  being  thirty 
feet,  she  could  not  be  taken  through  the  queen's  channel, 
which  is  safe  for  ships  of  war.  She  was  therefore  obliged 
to  remain  outside  of  the  Goodwin  sands,  near  the  entrance 
of  the  king's  channel.  Having  enco 
she  gi-ounded  upon  the  Long  sandt 

the  19th  of  October,  but  successive  storms,  and  strong 
northerly  winds,  eventually  drove  her  upon  the  Flemish 
banks,  and  after  being  buffeted  for  several  weeks  by  the 
waves,  she  was  shattered  to  atoms ;  the  fragments  of  the 


96  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

wreck  and  her  cargo  being  wafted  along  the  coast  from 
Calais  to  Ostend. 

Such  was  the  history  of  these  monster  ships,  whose  ill 
fortune  deterred  Canadian  builders  from  again  constructing 
such  unwieldly  vessels. 

We  next  passed  Beaumont,  where  the  south  bank  be- 
comes elevated,  increasing  in  height  to  Point  Levi,  the  tin 
spire  of  whose  church  was  visible ;  and  on  Orleans  Island, 
St.  Famille. 

The  magnificent  fall  of  Montmorenci  then  was  revealed 
to  view,  in  a  sheet  of  tumbling  snow-white  foam,  set  be- 
tween the  dark  green  banks,  covered  with  fir  and  other 
trees.  As  we  approached  nearer,  the  low  thundering  sound 
of  the  "  many  waters  "  broke  on  the  ear,  which  died  away 
as  we  sailed  upon  the  other  tack  ;  and  night  spread  its  cur- 
tain over  the  splendid  picture,  when  we  reached  the  mouth 
of  the  river  St.  Charles,  where  we  dropped  anchor. 

Tuesday,  3d  August. 

I  was  charmed  with  the  splendid  prospect  I  enjoyed  this 
morning  when  I  came  on  deck. 

The  harbour  was  thickly  covered  with  vessels,  many  of 
them  noble  ships  of  the  largest  class. 

The  city  upon  the  side  of  Cape  Diamond,  with  its  tin 
covered  dome  and  spires  sparkling  in  the  morning  sun, 
and  surrounded  by  its  walls  and  batteries  bristling  with 
carmon,  was  crowned  by  the  impregnable  citadel,  while  a 
line  of  villages  spread  along  the  northern  shore,  reaching 
to  Beauport  and  Montmorenci.  The  lofty  Mount  St. 
Anne  bounding  the  view  upon  the  east.  Opposite  the  city 
lay  Point  Levi,  with  the  village  of  D'Aubigne;  crossing 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  97 

the  river  were  steam  ferry-boats,  horse-boats,  and  canoes ; 
and  up  the  stream,  —  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  the  banks 
were  lined  by  wharves,  and  timber  ponds,  while  the  breeze 
wafted  along  a  fleet  of  battcaux,  wilh  great  white  sails; 
and  numberless  pilot  boats  were  in  constant  motion. 

We  could  not  go  ashore,  neither  dare  any  one  come  on 
board,  until  we  were  discharged  from  quarantine  by  the 
Harbour  Master,  and  IMedical  Inspector.  These  function- 
aries approached  us  in  a  long  six-oared  boat,  with  the 
Union  Jack  flying  in  her  stern.  When  they  came  on 
board,  they  demanded  the  ship's  papers,  and  clean  bills  of 
health,  which  the  captain  gave -them;  in  return  for  which 
he  received  a  release  from  quarantine.  Soon  after  they 
left  us,  a  butcher  brought  us  fresh  meat,  milk,  eggs  and 
vegetables,  to  which  we  did  ample  justice  at  breakfast; 
when  I  went  with  the  captain  on  shore. 

I  remained  with  the  brig  during  her  stay  in  Quebec 
harbour,  and  sailed  in  her  for  Montreal,  on  the  evening  of 
Thursday,  5th  August.  We  were  towed  up  the  river  by 
a  steamboat;  and  by  daylight  the  following  morning  were 
passing  the  mouth  of  the  river  Batiscan. 

The  sail  during  the  day  was  extremely  pleasing;  true, 
the  St.  Lawrence  did  not  present  the  same  grand  features 
as  below  Quebec,  but  there  was  something  of  exceeding 
interest  or  beauty  to  be  seen  every  moment.  The  banks 
varied  in  height,  but  did  not  gain  any  great  elevation,  and 
were  lined  by  an  almost  unbroken  chain  of  settlements, 
with  villages  upon  either  side  at  intervals  of  about  ten 
miles.  At  noon  we  sailed  by  Trois  Kivieres,  upon  the 
river  St.  Maurice,  which  divides  into  three  branches  before 
it  empties  itself  into  the  St.  Lawrence,  forming  two  pretty 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


islands,  connected  with  each  other  and  the  main  land  by- 
three  handsome  bridges.  A  coujole  of  hours  brought  us 
into  Lake  St.  Peter,  which  is  an  extension  of  the  river,  and 
of  intricate  navigation,  afforduig  but  a  narrow  channel, 
which  is  marked  out  by  buoys  and  beacons;  towards  its 
western  extremity  it  is  full  of  low  marshy  islands,  sur- 
rounded by  rushes,  between  which  lies  the  winding  pas- 
sage. At  sunset  we  had  a  charming  view  of  Sorel,  upon 
the  eastern  bank  of  the  Richeliea,  which  discharges  the 
waters  of  lakes  George  and  Champlain. 

The  river  again  narrowed,  and  presented  similar  features 
as  below  the  expansion.  We  anchored  for  the  night,  and 
early  next  morning  were  forcing  our  way  through  the  rap- 
ids called  current  St.  Mary,  passing  the  village  of  Longueil, 
and  the  charming  isle  St.  Helens.  Montreal  then  opened 
to  our  view,  and  by  8  a.  m.  we  were  moored  to  its  fine 
quay.  The  brig  having  completed  her  cargo,  sailed  for 
London,  on  the  19lh  of  August,  when  I  bade  the  captain 
and  the  mistress  adieu,  and  followed  them  some  distance 
down  the  river;  until  the  ftivorablc  breeze  that  filled  her 
sails,  wafted  the  brig  out  of  sight.  I  have  represented  these 
worthy  people  just  as  they  ajjpeared  to  me,  ajid  if  I  have 
spoken  too  plainly,  I  would  crave  their  pardon,  should 
they  ever  recognize  their  lineaments  in  these  sheets,  (which 
I  do  not  think  probable).  Indeed,  I  should  much  regret 
causing  their  displeasure,  having  received  from  them  every 
attention  ;  their  conduct  towards  me  extending  even  to  un- 
wonted kindness,  and  for  which  I  shall  never  cease  to  feel 
grateful.  I  was  anxious  to  learn  if  the  male  recovered,  and 
in  compliance  with  my  desire  the  captain  wrote  to  me 
from    Quebec,  and  also  from  Green  Island.     The  first  of 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  99 

these  letters  was  dated  August  23d,  and  the  following  is  an 
extract  from  it : 

"  I  got  doun  hear  on  satterday  and  salcd  all  the  way- 
down  which  was  a  great  saving  to  me  it  was  bnbful  sale 
we  Ankered  all  night  and  saled  in  the  day  which  gave  hus 
opertunety  of  seeing  every  Curisity  we  went  on  Shore  and 
got  Eags  and  milk  and  sead  a  little  of  the  Contry  this 
Mornning  I  am  gowing  on  Shore  if  there  be  any  Letters 
for  you  I  will  foward  them  to  you  1  have  not  heard  of  my 
Mate  Ariving  hear  yet  which  Disapoints  me  Greatly  I 
wish  you  had  bean  with  hus  Yesterday  we  had  a  Drive  in 
the  Countrey  9  Miles  which  was  a  plesent  drive  and  toke 

tea  in  the  Countrey  a  long  with  Cpt .     I  will  sale  on 

Tusday  Morning  My  Wife  Joyns  me  in  Cinde  Regards 
to  you."  In  justice  I  must  also  quote. the  postscript,  "you 
must  Excuse  this  as  I  am  in  a  hury." 

The  second  letter  was  written  on  August  27lh.  In  it  the 
captain  says,  "  I  am  sorey  to  inform  you  of  my  Mate  being 
so  hill  I  coled  at  Gruss  He  for  him  and  went  on  shore  and 
it  would  have  hurt  you  much  to  have  scan  him  he  was 
mostly  but  a  Skellitan,  but  though  as  hill  as  he  was,  I 
should  have  brought  him  on  Boord  if  the  Docter  would 
Aload  me,  I  have  not  any  hopes  of  him,  he  got  ncrely 
well,  and  mite  have  come  up  to  the  ship  but  as  I  told  you 
made  two  frea  with  is  self  putting  Bottcl  to  is  head  Docter 
to  ray  Wife  and  me  we  are  all  well  at  present  which  I 
hope  you  cape  your  Helth,  my  Wife  Joyns  me  in  Cind 
regards  to  you." 

I  learned  with  satisfaction  that  the  brig  arrived  at  her 
destination  in  safety,  but  of  the  mate's  fate  I  still  remain 
ignorant. 


100  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

Of  the  passengers  I  never  afterwards  saw  but  two, 
both  of  ihem  young  men,  who  got  employment  upon  the 
Lachine  canal.  The  rest  wandered  over  the  country, 
carrying  nothing  with  them  but  disease  ;  and  that  but  few 
of  them  survived  the  severity  of  the  succeeding  winter, 
(ruined  as  their  constitutions  were,)  I  am  quite  confident. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Of  comfort -no  man  speak. 
Let's  talk  of  graves,  of  worms,  and  epitaphs ; 
JIakc  dust  our  paper,  and  with  rainy  eyes 
Write  son-ow  on  the  bosom  of  the  earth. 
Let's  choose  executors,  and  talk  of  wills ; 
And  yet  not  so,  —  for  what  can  we  bequeath, 
Save  our  deposed  bodies  to  the  ground  ?  snAKSrEAKE. 

That  the  system  of  quarantine  pursued  at  Grosse  Isle 
aftbrded  but  a  very  slight  protection  to  the  people  of  Can- 
ada, is  too  evident  from  the  awful  amount  of  sickness,  and 
the  vast  number  of  deaths  that  occurred  amongst  them 
during  the  navigable  season  of  1847.  From  the  plan 
that  was  adopted,  of  sending  the  majority  of  the  emigrants 
from  the  island  directly  up  to  Montreal,  Quebec  did  not 
suffer  so  much  as  that  city.  However,  during  the  three  days 
I  was  there,  in  the  month  of  August,  too  many  signs  of 
death  were  visible ;  and  upon  a  second  and  more  pro- 
longed visit,  later  in  the  season,  it  presented  an  aspect  of 
universal  gloom ;  the  churches  being  hung  in  mourningj 
the  citizens  clothed  in  weeds  ;  and  the  newspapers  record- 
ing daily  deaths  by  fever  contracted  from  the  emigrants. 
To  their  honor  and  praise  be  it  spoken,  these  alarming 
consequences  did  not  deter  either  clergymen  or  physicians 
from  the  most  unremitting  zeal  in  performing  their  duty, 
and  it  is  to  be  lamented  that  so  many  valuable  lives  were 
sacrificed.  A  paper  of  the  month  of  September  contained 
the  following  paragraph:  —  "Quarantine  Station  —  Grosse 


102  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

Isle.  The  Rev.  J,  Buller,  missionary  at  Kingsey,  went 
down  on  tuesday  morning,  to  take  his  turn  in  attendance 
upon  the  sick  at  the  quarantine  station. 

"  The  Rev.  Richard  Anderson  and  Rev.  N.  Gueront  came 
up  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day.  The  former  felt  in- 
disposed, and  thought  it  prudent  to  remain  in  town  for  the 
benefit  of  medical  advice.  If  he  should  have  an  attack  of 
fever,  the  precaution  thus  early  taken  will,  it  is  hoped, 
prevent  its  proving  severe.  We  regret  to  say  that  the 
Rev.  C.  J.  Morris,  recently  returned  from  the  station,  is 
now  seriously  ill  with  Typhus  Fever."  The  death  of  the 
last  gentleman  is  recorded  as  follows:  "Died,  this  morning 
at  the  private  hospital  at  Beauport,  of  typhus  fever,  the 
Rev.  Charles  J.  Morris,  A.  M.,  missionary  of  the  church  of 
England,  at  Portneuf  in  this  district.  Mr.  Morris  contract- 
ed the  disease  which  has  thus  proved  fatal  to  him,  in  his 
ministrations  to  the  sick  at  Grosse  Isle.  The  funeral  will 
take  place  in  the  Cathedral  church,  to-morrow  afternoon,  at 
3  o'clock." 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Anderson  also  died,  within  a  few  days  of 
the  same  period  ;  and  that  the  mortality  continued  to  a  late 
part  of  the  season,  appears  by  the  following,  from  the  Bos- 
ton Journal  of  December  1st.  "  We  learn  from  Quebec 
that  Drs.  Painchaud  and  Jackson,  and  seven  or  eight  Nuns 
of  the  Hotel  Dieu  were  sick  with  the  ship  fever.  One  of 
the  Quebec  physicians  says  that  mortality  among  the 
physicians  during  the  past  season  has  been  greater  than  it 
was  during  the  Cholera."  On  Sunday,  October  10th,  I 
had  the  pleasure  of  listening  to  a  discourse  delivered  in 
St.  Patrick's  chapel  by  Rev.  Mr.  McMahon,  before  he 
commenced  which,  he  read  a  list  of  the  names  of  several 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  103 

persons,  (emigrants)  who  were  separated  from  their 
families,  and  who  took  this  method  of  endeavoring  to  find 
them  out ;  the  Rev.  Gentleman  also  acknowledged  having 
received  several  sums  of  money  remitted  from  parties  in 
Ireland  to  friends  in  Canada,  amongst  which  he  said  were 
some  without  signatures,  and  one  of  these  was  directed 
"  To  my  Aunt  Biddy,"  upon  which  his  Reverence  re- 
marked that  people  should  be  more  particular  where 
money  was  concerned. 

Although  (as  I  have  already  stated)  the  great  body  of 
emigrants  were  sent  out  to  Montreal  by  steamers,  all  of 
them  could  not  be  so  transferred,  and  many  were  detained 
in  Quebec,  where  the  Marine  and  Emigrant  Hospital 
contained  during  the  season,  several  hundreds,  the  number 
that  remained  upon  October  2nd,  being  443,  of  whom 
93  were  admitted  during  the  week  previous,  and  in  Avhich 
time  there  were  discharged  132,  and  46  died. 

One  of  the  first  objects  that  appeared  to  my  view  upon 
my  arrival  in  Montreal,  was  the  Emigrant  Hospital,  upon 
Point  St.  Charles,  a  low  tract  of  ground  cut  off  from  the 
city  by  the  Lachine  canal,  and  on  which  the  Indians  were 
in  the  habit  of  encamping  every  summer  before  it  was 
turned  to  its  present  purpose.  On  the  day  I  arrived, 
Avigust  7th,  it  contained  907  patients,  16  having  died  dur- 
ing the  last  24  hours.  An  official  return  of  burials  in  the 
city  was  furnished  up  to  the  same  day,  by  which  it  ap- 
peared, that  during  the  previous  nine  weeks  the  number 
was  1730,  of  which  924  were  residents,  and  806  were  emi- 
grants. Exclusive  of  these  there  died  in  the  sheds,  1510 
emigrants,  making  a  total  of  3,240,  being  2,752  more  than 
occurred  during  the  corresponding  period  of  the  preceding 


104  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

year.  Upon  August  23rd  the  emigrant  sheds  contained 
1330,  27  having  died  during  twenty-four  hours  ;  and  so  late 
as  October  11th,  there  remained  746  patients  in  them. 

Montreal  lost  many  of  her  most  valuable  citizens  in 
consequence  of  the  contagion,  among  whom  were  Dr. 
Gushing,  and  the  mayor.  Neither  was  the  pestilence 
stayed  here,  for  the  inhabitants  of  Kingston,  Bytown, 
Toronto,  and  other  places  were  infected,  and  a  great  num- 
ber died  of  the  fever,  amongst  whom  was  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Power,  R.  C.  Bishop  of  Toronto,  who  contracted  the 
disease  in  the  discharge  of  his  sacred  functions  among  the 
sick.  The  following  extract,  taken  from  the  Toronto  Stan- 
dard, serves  to  show  the  manner  in  which  the  people  of 
Canada  suffered,  and  their  sympathy  for  those  who  brought 
so  much  woe  amongst  them.  "  The  health  of  the  city 
remains  in  much  the  same  state  as  it  did  several  weeks 
ago.  The  individual  cases  of  fever  have  abated  nothing 
of  their  violence,  and  several  families  have  caught  the  in- 
fection from  having  admitted  emigrants  into  their  houses. 
The  greatest  caution  should  be  observed  in  this  respect,  as 
it  does  not  require  contact  alone,  to  infect  a  healthy  person 
with  the  deadly  virus  of  the  fever.  Breathing  the  same 
atmosphere  with  the  infected,  or  coming  under  the  influence 
of  the  effluvia  rising  from  their  clothes  is,  in  some  states  of 
the  healthy  body,  perfectly  sufficient  for  effecting  a  lodg- 
ment of  the  disease  in  the  human  frame.  On  Monday 
evening  last,  the  report  of  the  Finance  Committee,  on  the 
subject  of  erecting  a  House  of  Refuge  for  the  destitute 
persons  who  have  sought  refuge  in  our  City,  was  received 
by  the  Council.  This  committee  report  in  favor  of  erect- 
ing immediately  such  a  building  as  would  shield  those 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  105 

gers  from  the  severities  of  winter,  and  recommend  that 
a  sum  not  exceeding  £6,000  should  be  expended  for  that 
purpose,  and  that  this  sura  should  be  put  under  the  joint 
superintendence  of  the  Board  of  Works  and  the  Finance 
Committee,  so  that  now  we  have  from  the  praiseworthy- 
benevolence  and  alacrity  of  the  Council,  an  assured  hope, 
that  the  emigrants  will  not  be  exposed  to  any  hardships 
which  it  is  in  the  po  /er  of  the  city  authorities  to  ward  off." 

The  reader  will  bear  in  mind,  that  the  above  relates  to 
the  city  of  Toronto,  in  Western  Canada,  at  a  distance  of 
upwards  of  500  miles  from  the  Quarantine  station,  whose 
stringent  regulations  were  intended  to  protect  the  country 
from  contagion. 

It  now  only  remains  for  me  to  say  a  few  words  respect- 
ing the  people  that  endured  and  reproduced  so  much  trib- 
ulation. 

The  vast  number  of  persons  who  quitted  Europe,  to 
seek  new  homes  in  the  western  hemisphere,  in  the  year 
1847,  is  without  a  precedent  in  history.  Of  the  aggregate 
I  cannot  definitely  speak,  but  to  be  within  the  limits  of  truth, 
they  exceeded  350,000. 

More  than  one  half  of  these  emigrants  were  from  Ireland, 
and  to  this  portion  was  confined  the  devouring  pestilence. 
It  is  a  painful  task  to  trace  the  causes  that  led  to  such  fatal 
consequences ;  some  of  them  may,  perhaps,  be  hidden,  but 
many  are  too  plainly  visible.  These  wretched  people 
were  flying  from  known  misery,  into  unknown  and  tenfold 
aggravated  misfortune.  That  famine  which  compelled  so 
many  to  emigrate,  became  itself  a  cause  of  the  pestilence. 
But  that  the  principal  causes  were  produced  by  injustice 
and  neglect,  is  plainly  proved.  Many,  as  I  have  already 
6 


105  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

Stated,  were  sent  out  at  the  expense  of  their  landlords; 
these  were  consequently  the  poorest  and  most  abject  of  the 
whole,  and  suffered  the  most.  No  doubt  the  motives  of 
some  landlords  were  benevolent ;  but  all  they  did  was  to 
pay  for  the  emigrants'  passage  —  this  done,  these  gentlemen 
washed  their  hands  of  all  accountability,  transferring  them 
to  the  shipping  agent,  whose  object  was  to  stow  away  the 
greatest  possible  number  between  the  decks  of  the  vessels 
chartered  for  the  purpose.  That  unwarrantable  induce- 
ments were  held  out  to  many,  I  am  aware,  causing  some 
to  leave  their  homes,  who  would  not  otherwise  have  done 
so.  They  were  given  to  understand  that  they  would  be 
abundantly  provided  for  during  the  voyage,  and  that  they 
were  certain  of  finding  immediate  employment  upon  their 
arrival,  at  a  dollar  per  day.  Another  serious  injury  was 
done  many  families,  who  had  previously  experienced  the 
blessings  of  temperance,  from  being,  upon  their  arrival 
at  the  different  ports  where  they  were  to  embark,  obliged 
to  lodge  in  public  houses  of  the  worst  description  ;  whose 
proprietors,  knowing  that  they  possessed  a  little  stock  of 
money,  seduced  them  to  violate  their  "  pledge,"  under  the 
specious  pretext  that  they  were  no  longer  bound  by  its 
obligations,  and  that  whiskey  was  the  very  best  preventive 
of  sea-sickness.  After  a  detention  —  often  of  many  days, 
the  vessel  at  length  ready  for  sea,  numbers  were  shipped 
that  were  quite  unfit  for  a  long  voyage.  True,  they  were 
inspected,  and  so  were  the  ships,  but  from  the  limited 
number  of  officers  appointed  for  the  purpose,  many  over- 
sights occurred.  In  Liverpool,  for  instance,  if  I  am  rightly 
informed,  there  was  a  staff  of  but  five  or  six  men  to  inspect 
the  mass  of  emigrants,  and  survey  the  ships,  in  which 
there  sailed  from  that  port  107,474.     An  additional  heavy 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  jq? 

infliction  was  their  sufferings  on  ship-board,  from  famine, 
the  legal  allowance  for  an  adult  being  one  pound  of  food 
in  twenty-four  hours;  but  perhaps  the  most  cruel  wrong 
was  in  allowing  crowds  of  already  infected  beings  to  be 
huddled  up  together  in  the  confined  holds,  there  to  propa- 
gate the  distemper,  which  there  was  no  physician  to  stay. 
The  sufferings  consequent  upon  such  treatment,  I  have 
endeavoured  to  portray  in  the  previous  narrative,  which 
alas !  is  but  a  feeble  picture  of  the  unmitigated  trials  en- 
dured by  these  most  unhappy  beings.  Nor  were  their  suf- 
ferings ended  with  the  voyage.  Oh!  no,  far  from  it. 
Would  that  I  could  represent  the  afflictions  I  witnessed  at 
Grosse  Isle !  I  would  not  be  supposed  to  think,  that  the 
medical  officers  situated  there  did  not  exercise  the  greatest 
humanity  in  administering  their  disagreeable  duties,  which 
consisted  —  not  in  relieving  the  distress  of  the  emigrants; 
but  in  protecting  their  country  from  contamination.  Still 
it  was  most  afflicting,  that  after  combatting  the  dangers  of 
the  sea,  enduring  famine,  drought,  and  sickness,  the  wretch- 
ed survivors  should  still  have  to  lie  as  uncared  for  as  when 
in  the  centre  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 

The  inefficacy  of  the  quarantine  system  is  so  apparent, 
that  it  is  needless  to  particularize  its  defects,  neither  need  I 
repeat  the  details  of  the  grievous  aggravations  of  their 
trials,  heaped  by  it  upon  the  already  tortured  emigrants. 
My  heart  bleeds  when  I  think  of  the  agony  of  the  poor 
families  who  as  yet  undivided  had  patiently  borne  their 
trials,  ministering  to  each  other's  wants — when  torn  from 
each  other.  Painful  as  it  was  to  behold  the  bodies  of  those 
who  died  at  sea,  committed  to  the  deep,  yet  the  separa- 
tion of  families  was  fraught  with  much  greater  misery. 
And  as  if  to  reach  the  climax  of  endurance,  the  relatives 


108  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

and  friends  of  those  landed  upon  the  island  were  at  once 
carried  away  from  them  to  a  distance  of  200  miles.     On 
their  way  to  Montreal,  many  died  on  board  the  steamers. 
There,  those  who  sickened  in  their  progress  were  received 
into  the  hospital,  and  the  survivors  of  this  second  sifting 
were  sent  on  to  Kingston,  — 180  miles  further ;  from  thence 
to  Toronto,  and  so  on,  —  every  city  and  towm  being  anxious 
to  be  rid  of  them.     Nor  were  there  wanting  villains,  who 
preyed  upon  these  stricken  people. —  The  Montreal  Her- 
ald of  October  13th  thus  writes.     "  The  rapid   closing  of 
the  season  of  course  diminishes  the  number  of  arrivals  of 
emigrants,  and  thus  the  hospitals  and  asylums  are  less 
crowded  than   they  have   been   at  an  earlier  period  of  the 
year.     The  statements   are,  however,  still  extremely  dis- 
tressing.    An  assertion   has  been  made  in  the  Common 
Council,  and  is  generally  believed  to  be  true,  that  consider- 
able sums  have  been  brought  here  by  some  of  these  people, 
and  consigned  by  them,  in  their  last  moments,  to  persons 
who   have  in  many  instances  appropriated  the  money  to 
their  own  use.     An  Alderman  named  Tully,  who  is  known 
to  have   the  means  of  information,  calculates  the  average 
of  the   sums   brought    to    Canada   by   emigrants    at  dElO 
each  —  we  suppose  heads  of  families." 

In  a  tour  which  I  made  through  Upper  Canada,  I  met 
in  every  quarter  some  of  my  poor  wandering  fellow-coun- 
try people.  Travelling  from  Prescott  to  Bytown,  by  stage, 
I  saw  a  poor  woman  with  an  infant  in  her  arms,  and  a 
child  pulling  at  her  skirt,  and  crying  as  they  went  along. 
The  driver  compassionately  took  them  up,  and  the  way- 
farer wept  her  thanks.  She  had  lost  her  husband  upon 
the  voyage,  and  was  going  to  Bytown  to  her  brother,  who 
came  out  the  previous  year,  and  having  made  some  money 


THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE.  109 

by  lumbering  in  the  woods,  remitted  to  her  the  means  of 
joining  him;  she  told  her  sad  tale  most  plaintively,  and  the 
passengers  all  sympathized  with  her.  The  road  being  of 
that  description  called  "  corduroy,"  and  the  machine  very- 
crazy,  the  latter  broke  down  within  five  miles  of  our  des- 
tination, and  as  she  was  unable  to  carry  her  two  children, 
the  poor  creature  was  obliged  to  remain  upon  the  road  all 
the  night.  She  came  into  Bytown  the  following  morning, 
and  I  had  the  satisfaction  to  learn  that  she  found  her 
brother. 

A  large  proportion  of  the  emigrants  who  arrived  in 
Canada  crossed  the  frontiers,  in  order  to  settle  in  the  United 
States.  So  that  they  were  to  be  seen  in  the  most  remote 
places.  At  St.  Catherine's,  upon  the  Welland  canal,  600 
miles  from  Quebec,  I  saw  a  family,  who  were  on  their 
way  to  the  western  part  of  the  state  of  New  York.  One 
of  them  was  taken  ill,  and  they  were  obliged  to  remain  by 
the  wayside  ;  with  nothing  but  a  few  boards  to  protect 
them  from  the  weather.  There  is  no  means  of  learning 
how  many  of  the  survivors  of  so  many  ordeals  were  cut 
off  by  the  inclemency  of  a  Canadian  winter,  so.  that  the 
grand  total  of  the  huinan  sacrifice  wMU  never  be  known 
but  by  "  Him  who  knoweth  all  things." 

As  I  cannot  so  well  convey  my  sentiments  in  my  own 
language,  I  will  conclude  with  the  following  quotation  from 
England's  most  popular  writer,  and  would  that  his  sug- 
gestions uttered  five  years  before  the  commencement  of 
the  tragic  drama,  had  been  attended  to  in  time:  if  they  had, 
much  evil  had  been  spared  humanity.  "  The  whole  sys- 
tem of  shipping  and  conveying  these  unfortunate  persons 
is  one  that  stands  in  need  of  thorough  revision.  If  any 
class  deserve  to  be  protected  and  assisted  by  the  govern- 


no  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

ment,  it  is  that  class  who  are  banished  from  their  native 
land  in  search  of  the  bare  means  of  subsistence.  All 
that  could  be  done  for  those  poor  people  by  the  great  com- 
passion and  humanity  of  the  captain  and  officers,  was 
done,  but  they  require  much  more.  The  law  is  bound,  at 
least  upon  the  English  side,  to  see  that  too  many  of  them 
are  notjjut  on  board  one  ship  ;  and  that  their  accommoda- 
tions are  decent,  not  demoralizing  and  profligate.  It  is 
bound,  too,  in  common  humanity,  to  declare  that  no  man 
shall  be  taken  on  board  without  his  stock  of  provisions 
being  previously  inspected  by  some  proper  officer,  and 
pronounced  moderately  sufficient  for  his  support  upon  the 
voyage.  It  is  bound  to  provide,  or  to  require  that  there  be 
provided  a  medical  attendant;  whereas  in  these  ships  there 
are  none,  though  sickness  of  adults  and  deaths  of  children 
on  the  passage  are  matters  of  the  very  commonest  occur- 
rence. Above  all,  it  is  the  duty  of  any  government,  be  it 
monarchy  or  republic,  to  interpose  and  put  an  end  to  that 
system  by  which  a  firm  of  traders  in  emigrants  purchase 
of  the  owners  the  whole  'tween-decks  of  a  ship,  and  send 
on  board  as  many  wretched  people  as  they  can  get  hold  of 
on  any  terms  they  can  get,  without  the  smallest  reference 
to  the  conveniences  of  the  steerage,  the  number  of  berths, 
the  slightest  separation  of  the  sexes,  or  any  thing  but  their 
own  immediate  profit.  Nor  is  this  the  worst  of  the  vicious 
system;  for  certain  crimping  agents  of  these  houses,  who 
have  a  per  centage  on  all  the  passengers  they  inveigle,  are 
constantly  travelling  about  those  districts  where  poverty 
and  discontent  are  rife,  and  tempting  the  credulous  into 
more  misery,  by  holding  out  monstrous  inducements  to 
emigration  which  never  can  be  realized."^ 

*  Dickens.    American  Notes. 


APPENDIX. 

Immediately  a  place 
Before  his  eyes  appear'd,  sad,  noisome,  dark; 
A  lazar-house  it  seem'd ;  wherein  were  laid 
Numbers  of  all  diseased ;  all  maladies 
Of  ghastly  spasm,  or  racking  torture,  qualms 
Of  heart-sick  agony,  all  feverous  kinds, 
Marasmus,  and  wide-wasting  pestilence. 
Dropsies,  and  asthmas,  and  joint-racking  rheums, 
Dire  was  the  tossing,  deep  the  groans :    Despair 
Tended  the  sick,  busiest  from  couch  to  couch ; 
And  over  them  triumphant  Death  his  dart 
Shook,  but  delay'd  to  strike,  though  oft  invoked 
With  vows,  as  their  chief  good,  and  final  hope. 
Sight  so  deform  what  heart  of  rock  could  long 
Dry  eyed  behold ';  Milton. 

The  intention  of  this  appendix  is,  by  the  means  of  a  few 
extracts  from  newspapers,  hospital  returns,  reports,  &c.,  to 
furnish  some  further  general  information  respecting  the 
ship  pestilence. 

But  as  the  previous  narrative  is  not  designed  to  present 
a  history  of  that  sad  subject,  so  neither  will  this  sequel 
supply  complete  statistics  regarding  it.  The  extracts  go 
no  further  back  than  the  beginning  of  August;  but  will  be 
found  sufficient  to  elucidate  the  events  from  that  time  until 
the  termination  of  the  season. 

"  Grosse  Isle. —  II  y  avail  samedi  dernier  a  la  Grosse 
Isle  2148  malades;  du  ler  au  6  aout  130  personnes  sont 
mortes."  —  La  Reveu  Canadienne. 

'•  Monday  Afternoon,  August  9. 

"  Since  my  last,  the  wind  has  been  blowing  fresh  from 


212  THE   OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

the  northeast,  and  several  vessels  have  arrived  in  port,  the 
names  of  which  you  will  find  enclosed.  Four  have  just 
arrived,  but  are  not  yet  boarded.  I  make  out  the  names 
of  three,  viz :  —  Bark  Covenanter,  Bark  Royal  Adelaide, 
and  Schooner  Maria,  of  Limerick.  The  Zealous  has  not 
yet  made  her  appearance. 

"  The  accounts  from  Grosse  Isle  since  my  last,  are  not 
of  a  favorable  nature,  and  the  number  of  deaths  is  much 
the  same.  The  building  of  the  new  sheds  there  is  advanc- 
ing rapidly. 

"  A  letter  was  received  this  forenoon,  from  the  male  of 
the  bark  Naparima,  with  passengers,  from  Dublin,  dated 
off  Bic,  last  Friday,  announcing  that  the  Captain,  Thomas 
Brierly,  died  on  the  3d  instant,  and  was  buried  on  the  same 
day.  She  was  then  fifty  days  out,  and  short  of  provisions, 
—  about  20  of  the  passengers  were  sick,  but  were  recover- 
ing Avhen  the  mate  wrote,  and  he  intended  to  put  into 
some  convenient  place  for  supplies.  There  was  a  pilot 
on  board,  and  every  exertion  would  be  made  to  get  her  up 
to  the  Quarantine  Station  as  soon  as  possible." 

—  Quebec  Correspondence  of  the  Montreal  Herald. 

"  We  are  in  possession  of  the  latest  news  from  C-rrosse 
Isle.  The  hospital  statement  yesterday,  the  9th,  was  2240. 
There  is  a  large  fleet  of  vessels  at  the  station,  and  amongst 
them  some  very  sickly,  as  it  may  be  seen  from  the  follow- 
ing statement :  — 


Bark  Ellen 

Simpson, 

Limerick, 

Passengers. 

184 

Deaths. 

4 

Brig  Anna 

Maria, 

a 

119 

1 

Bark  Amy, 

Bremen, 

289 

— 

ArPENDIX. 

113 

Brig  Watchful, 

Hamburg, 

145 

-_ 



Ship  Ganges, 

Liverpool, 

393 

45 

80 

Bark  Corea, 

" 

501 

18 

7 

Bark  Larch, 

Sligo, 

440 

108 

150 

Bark  Naparima, 

Dublin, 

226 

7 

17 

Bark  Britannia, 

Greenock, 

386 

4 

25 

Brig  Trinity, 

Limerick, 

86 

all  well. 

,   — 

Bark  Lilias, 

Dublin, 

219 

5 

6 

Bark  Brothers, 

u 

318 

6 

— 

"A  full  rigged  ship  just  coming  in — not  yet  board- 
ed. 

"  The  hospitals  have  never  been  so'  crowded,  and  the 
poor  creatures  in  the  tents  (where  the  healthy  are),  are 
dying  by  dozens!  Eleven  died  on  the  night  of  the 
8th,  and  one  on  the  road  to  the  hospital  yesterday  morn- 
ing. 

"  Captain  Read,  of  the  Marchioness  of  Breadalbane, 
died  in  hospital  on  the  7th.  The  Captain  of  the  Virginius 
died  the  day  after  his  arrival  at  Grosse  Isle. 

"  We  regret  to  learn  thgt  the  Rev.  Mr.  Paisley  is  in  a 
critical  slate.     He  was  dangerously  ill  this  morning. 

''  Since  writing  the  above  we  learn  that  60  new  cases 
were  admitted  into  hospital,  and  300  more,  arrived  on  the 
8th  and  9th,  remain  to  be  admitted!" 

—  Quebec  3Iercunj,  August  10th,  1847. 

"  The  Steamer  St.  George  arrived  from  Grosse  Isle  yes- 
terday afternoon,  but  brought  nothing  of  importance.  The 
cool  temperature  of  the  last  few  days  has  had  a  favorable 
effect  on  the  sick  in  the  tents,  and  fewer  cases  of  fever 
had  appeared. 
6-* 


114  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

"  The  Ship  Washington  from  Liverpool,  9th  of  July, 
had  arrived  at  the  station  yesterday.  She  has  one  cabin, 
and  305  steerage  passengers,  had  22  deaths  and  20  sick. 
She  reports  15  vessels  with  passengers  in  the  Traverse. 

—  Quebec  Chronicle. 

"  Hospital  return  —  Grosse  Isle,  September  14th,  1847. 
Remaining  on  14th,  1386, 

Died  12th  to  13th  inst.,  41." 

"  Hospital  return —  Grosse  Isle,  from  19th  to  25th  of  Sept. 

Remaining  on  19th,     1196,  Discharged,      234, 

Admitted  since,  436,  Died,  121, 

1632  355 

355 

1277 

"  Deaths  at  the  sheds,  where  the  healthy  passengers  are 
landed,  during  the  same  period  —  10. 

"  There  are  1240  cases  of  fever,  and  37  cases  of  small 
pox.  Two  men  died  whilst  being  landed  from  the  Emi- 
grant, and  162  cases  were  admitted  into  hospital  from  the 
same  vessel." 

"  Hospital  statement  to  the  28th  : 

Men,  473 

"Women,  441 

Children,  349 

Total,  1263 


APPENDIX. 

115 

Grosse  Isle. 

—  Return 

0/ 

sick  in  hospitals 

1st  Octoh 

er. 

Men, 

Women, 
Children, 

414 
412 
326 

Discliarqed.                     ] 

103 
156 
109 

Died. 
7 

3 

1 

Rei 

naiiiing. 

804 
253 
216 

1152  368  11  773 

(Signed)  I.  M.  Douglass,  Med.  Sup. 

"  About  400  convalescents  went  up  to  Montreal  in  the 
Canada  on  Thursday  last,  and  35  came  up  to  Quebec  in 
the  Lady  Colborne  on  Friday- 

"  This  has  enabled  the  Medical  Superintendent  to  close 
another  hospital ;  and  this  day  the  services  of  two  more 
medical  men,  with  their  staff  of  orderlies  and  nurses  will 
be  dispensed  with." 

"  Hospital  statement,  5th  October. 

"  Men, 230  —  Women,  124—  Children,  150  —  Total,  504- 

"  There  were  then  three  vessels  with  emigrants  at  the 
station." 

"  A  Melancholy  Tale  of   Woe. 

«  On  Saturday  last,  30th  October,  the  Lord  Ashburton, 
from  Liverpool,  13th  September,  with  general  cargo  and 
passengers,  arrived  at  Grosse  Isle  in  a  most  wretched  state. 

"  When  sailing  she  had  475  steerage  passengers,  and  be- 
fore her  arrival  at  the  Quarantine  Station,  she  had  lost 
107  by  dysentery  and  fever ;  and  about  60  of  those  re- 
maining were  then  ill  of  the  same  complaints.  So  deplora- 
ble was  the  condition  of  those  on  board  that  five  of  the 
passengers  had  to  remain  to  work  the  ship  up  from  Grosse 
Isle."  —  Quebec  Mercury. 


116  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

"  Emigration  from  Liverpool. 

"  The  amount  of  emigration  from  Great  Britain  and  Ire- 
land has  this  year  far  surpassed  that  of  any  previous  year, 
as  will  be  seen  from  the  following  returns,  made  up  on 
the  6th  instant,  of  emigration  from  this  port  alone:  — 


United  States, 

77,403 

Canada, 

27,666 

New  Brunswick, 

1,479 

Nova  Scotia, 

171 

Prince  Edward's  Isle, 

444 

Other  places, 

311 

Total,  107,474 

"  Of  this  vast  number  of  emigrants,  two  thirds  w^ere  Irish, 
and  of  the  remaining  one  third,  two  fifths  were  Scotch  and 
English,  and  one  fifth  German,  of  whom  a  larger  number 
than  formerly  left  this  port  during  the  past  season.'' 

Reports  of  the  following 
Grosse  Isle ;  namely. 

Sir  Henry  Pottinger, 
Bark  Wellington, 
Bark  Sir  Robert  Peel, 
Schooner  Jessie, 
Bark  Anne  Rankin, 
Bark  Zealous, 

"  We  are  glad  to  learn  that  the  Sceurs  Grises,^  amongst 
*  The  Gray  Sisters,  a  community  of  charitable  Nuns. 


^  vessels  upon  their  arrival  at 

Passengers. 

Deaths. 

Sick. 

Cork,            399 

98 

112 

Liverpool,    435 

26 

30 

458 

24 

12 

Limerick,     108 

2 

16 

Glasgow,     332 

7 

3 

London,       120 

1 

5 

APPENDIX.  117 


whom  sickness  and  death  have  made  such  fearful  havoc, 
during  their  self-immolaling  ministrations  to  the  dying 
emigrants,  are  again  pursuing  their  charitable  labors  at  the 
Sheds  at  Point  St.  Charles.  We  are  happy  to  learn,  also, 
that  the  sickness  in  Griffintown  is  rapidly  on  the  de- 
crease." —  Montreal  Pilot. 

The  following  advertisement  is  a  specimen  o?"  many  of 
a  similar  nature,  that  daily  appeared  in  the  newspapers ; 
and  requires  no  comment. 

"  Information  wanted  of  Abraham  Taylor,  aged  12 
years,  Samuel  Taylor,  10  years,  and  George  Taylor,  8 
years  old,  from  county  Leitrim,  Ireland,  who  landed  in 
Quebec  about  five  weeks  ago  — their  mother  having  been 
detained  at  Grosse  Isle.  Any  information  respecting  them 
will  be  thankfully  received  I  y  their  brother,  William  Taylor, 
at  this  office."  —  Montreal  Transcript^  September  11th,  1847. 

"  The  '  Quebec  Chronicle '  having  obtained  permission 
to  copy  them  from  the  official  records,  has  commenced  the 
publication  of  the  names  of  all  the  unfortunates  who  have 
died  in  the  hospital  at  Grosse  Isle,  with  their  ages  and  the 
names  of  the  vessels  in  which  they  came  to  Canada,  as 
w^ell  as  the  date  of  the  decease.  The  '  Chronicle'  deserves 
well  of  the  community,  for  thus  affording  the  relatives  of 
the  poor  sufferers  the  means  of  knowing  what  has  become 
of  them."  —  Montreal  Courier. 

"  The  immigration  commissioners  report  that  94  vessels 
have  landed  in  the  Province  of  New  Brunswick,  the  pres- 
ent season,  15,269  passengers.  The  deaths  at  sea  on  board 
these  vessels,  were  six  hundred  and  sixty  two." 


lig  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


"  The  schooner  Victoria,  from  Quebec,  with  20  passen- 
gers, anchored  at  the  Quarantine  ground  on  Tuesday  last. 
She  had  three  cases  of  typhus  fever  on  board.  The  pas- 
sengers and  crew  were  landed  on  Middle  Island  this  morn- 
ing, the  captain  securing  the  rnaintainance  of  the  healthy 
passengers  and  crew  until  discharged."  —  Miramichi 
Gleaner^  27th  July. 

^^  Emigration  to  New  York. —  We  have  received  from 
Senator  Folsom  a  printed  copy  of  the  report  forwarded  to 
the  Legislature  by  the  Commissioners  of  Emigration  at 
this  port  It  is  dated  October  1st,  1847.  The  board  of 
Commissioners  having  been  organized  on  the  8th  May 
last,  Robert  Taylor  being  appointed  agent,  and  William 
F.  Havemeyer,  president — proceeded  immediately  to  take 
charge  of  the  sick  and  destitute  emigrants.  Having  filled 
the  Quarantine  hospitals,  all  the  spare  rooms  connected 
with  the  City  Almshouse  department  were  hired  at  a,dol- 
lar  per  week  for  each  destitute  emigrant,  and  a  dollar  and 
a  half  per  week  for  the  sick.  But  the  introduction  of  fever 
patients  at  the  Almshouse  was  attended  with  loo  much 
risk,  and  buildings  were  erected  for  their  accommodation  on 
Staten  Island.  These  being  still  inadequate,  the  buildings 
on  the  Long  Island  Farms  were  leased,  but  the  fear  of 
contagion  so  alarmed  the  neighborhood,  that  the  buildings 
were  burned  by  incendiaries. 

The  United  States  Government  at  once  granted  their 
warehouses  at  Quarantine  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
sick.  They  were  soon  filled,  as  all  the  principal  hospitals, 
public  and  private,  to  which  the  Commissioners  had  to 
resort.     At  this  crisis,  a  large  stone  building  was  leased  on 


APPENDIX. 


119 


Ward's  Island,  which  with  buildings  subsequently  added 
to  it,  afforded  ample  accommodation  for  the  thousands  de- 
pendent upon  their  benevolent  undertaking. 

"  Many  were  destitute  of  clothing,  and  from  May  to 
September,  ten  thousand  three  hundred  and  eight  articles 
of  dress  were  made  at  Ward's  Island  and  furnished  to 
them,  by  direction  of  the  Commissioners.  Hundreds  have 
been  provided  with  employment  in  the  interior  of  the  state 
and  many  forwarded  West  at  the  expense  of  the  Commis- 
sioners. 

"  The  number  of  passengers  who  arrived  from  May 
5th  to  Sept.  30th,  inclnsive,  and  for  whom  commutation 
money  was  paid,  or  bonds  given,  was  101,546,  of  whom 
only  25  were  bonded. 

"  Of  said  passengers  there  were  natives  of 


Germany, 

43,208 

Italy, 

130 

Ireland, 

40,820 

Sweden, 

119 

England  and  Wales,       6,501 

Spain, 

72 

Holland, 

2,966 

Denmark, 

51 

France, 

2,633 

Portugal, 

31 

Scotland, 

1,856 

Poland, 

21 

Switzerland, 

1,506 

East  Indies, 

6 

Norway, 

881 

Turkey, 

1 

Belgium, 

478 

South  America, 

1 

West  Indies, 

265 

Total,                   101,546 

Of  which  number  there  were 

Forwarded 

Temporarily 

Sent  to          Sent  to 

from  the  city. 

relieved. 

Hospitals.     Alms  house. 

427. 

217. 

5,148.                713 

Total,  6,505, 

of  whom  were 

Irish  8,792. 

120  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

"  Adding  to  the  above  256  emigrants  who  were  in  Hos- 
pital at  the  time  the  Commissioners  entered  upon  their 
duties,  we  have  6,761,  the  total  number  under  their  care  up 
to  the  date  of  this  report. 

"  Of  these,  seven  hundred  and  three  "died  between  the  8th 
of  May  and  the  1st  October.  The  names,  ages,  and  places 
of  birth,  of  the  dead,  are  not  given.  This  is  an  oversight 
which  ought  to  be  corrected. 

"  It  seems,  also,  that  no  provision  was  made  for  the  erec- 
tion of  any  memorial  over  their  graves."  —  Neiv  York 
Paper. 

"  Ship  Fever.  —  The  British  ship  India,  Gray,  (late 
Thompson),  arrived  yesterday  from  Liverpool,  after  a  pas- 
sage of  57  days.  Captain  Thompson  died  of  the  ship 
fever  on  the  14th  inst.,  (.January,  1848)  and  during  the  pas- 
sage 39  of  the  passengers  died  of  the  same  disease.  The 
chief  officer  of  the  ship,  and  a  large  number  of  the  passen- 
gers are  now  sick.  When  the  India  left  Liverpool  she 
had  two  hundred  and  seventy  passengers." 

—  New  York  Express. 

"  The  British  Ship  Viceroy,  arrived  at  New  Orleans  on 
the  5th  instant,  with  286  immigrants. 

"  Fourteen  had  died  on  the  passage,  and  many  others 
were  very  sick,  and  sent  to  the  Charity  Hospital.  The 
Orizaba,  which  arrived  from  Liverpool  on  the  31st  ult,, 
had  shipped  170  ;  24  of  whom  died,  and  most  of  the  rest 
were  sent  to  the  Hospital."  —  Boston  Mail,  Jan.  19///,  1848. 


APPENDIX.  121 


"  Report  of  Deer  Island  Hospital^  Boston^  for  the  week 
ending  January  26^/t,  1848. 

Number  remaining  as  per  last  weeU's  report,  311 
Admitted  since,  28 

Total,  —     339 

Discharged,  36 

Died,  13      49 

Hemaining,  290 

Whole  number  admitted  to  this  date,  2,230 

Whole  number  buried  on  the  Island,  347 

Of  whom  were  brought  from  the  ship  dead,  20 

Died  the  day  of  their  reception,  8 

In  carriage,  2" 

■ —  Boston  Jonrnal. 

"FoRRiGN  Emigrants. —  A  communication  from  the 
State  Department  was  laid  before  the  House  of  Represent- 
atives on  Friday  last,  reporting  the  number  of  passengers 
who  arrived  from  foreign  countries  on  shipboard,  during 
the  year  ending  the  30lh  of  September  last.  The  number 
of  males  was  139,166;  females,  99,325;  sex  not  reported, 
989 ;  total,  239,480.  The  prospect  is  that  the  number  will 
be  much  larger  the  present  year. 

"  Of  the  above  number  of  passengers,  145,838  landed  in 
New  York;  20,848  in  Massachusetts;  5,806  in  Maine; 
14,777  in  Pennsylvania;  12,018  in  Maryland;  34,803  in 
Louisiana,  and  3,873  in  Texas."  —  Boston  Journal. 

Abstract  statement  of  payments  on  account  of  the  ex- 
penses attending  emigration,  in  the  Province  of  Canada, 
during  the  season  1847.  Taken  from  the  Inspector  Gen- 
eral's report. 


122  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 


Amount  paid  for  the  erection  of  Hospital  Sheds. 

At  Grosse  Isle,                                             £10,609,  11,  7 

At  Quebec,                                                         1,120,  0,  0 

At  Montreal,                                                  15,914,  17,  5 


For  transport  of  emigrants  inland 

ing  cost  of  provisions. 
For  Boards  of  Health. 
Canada,  East  and  West, 
Expenses  at  Quarantine  Station, 
Emigration  Agent  for  transport. 
Board  of  Health,  and  Emigrant  Hospital 

at  Quebec, 

Total,  £157,283  10,  6 

Table  showing  the  comparative   number  of  emigrants 
to  the  ports  designated,  viz : 


£27,644, 
includ- 

35,450, 

9,  0 
0,  0 

60,220, 
15,465, 
10,502, 

19,  7 

17,  6 

4,  5 

8,000, 

0,  0 

Quebec, 

1846 

32,753 

1847 

98,105 

Increase  1847 

65,352 

New  York, 

97,843 

145,890 

48,047 

New  Orleans, 

22,148 

40,442 

18,294 

Boston, 

14,079 

20,745 

6,666 

Philadelphia, 

7,236 

14,763 

7,527 

Baltimore, 

9,327 

12,018 

2,691 

183,386  331,963  148,577 

"  Emigration  to  British  North  America. 
"  Emigration  returns  just  issued  by  order  of  her  Majesty, 
state  that  the  numbers  who  embarked  in  Europe,  in  1847, 
for  Canada,  was  98,006.     Viz : 


APPENDIX.  123 


^  From  England,  32,228 

From  Ireland,  54,329 

From  Scotland,  3,752 

From  Germany,  7,697 


98,006 


Of  the  whole  number  91,882  were  steerage  passengers, 
634  cabin,  and  5541  infants.  Deducting  from  this  aggre- 
gate the  Germans  and  the  cabin  passengers,  the  entire 
number  of  emigrants  who  embarked  at  British  ports  was 
89,738,  of  whom  5,293  died  before  their  arrival,  leaving 
84,445  who  reached  the  colony.  Of  these  it  is  estimated 
that  six  sevenths  were  from  Ireland.  Of  the  84,445  who 
reached  the  colony  alive,"  no  less  than  10,037  died  after 
their  arrival.  Of  the  remainder  no  less  than  30,265  were 
admitted  into  Hospital  for  medical  treatment.  Up  to  the 
12th  of  November  last,  the  number  of  destitute  emigrants 
forwarded  from  the  agency  at  Montreal  to  Upper  Canada 
was  38,781."  —  Neio  Orleans  Price  Cmrent. 

As  the  conduct  of  Irish  landlords  has  been  severely 
commented  upon,  in  the  foregoing  pages,  it  is  but  just 
to  inform  the  reader  of  a  most  honorable  exception  ;  and 
which  it  affords  the  author  extreme  gratification  to  be  en- 
abled to  do,  by  transcribing  the  following  article  from  the 
"  British  Canadian." 

"  Last  Season's  Emigration. 

"  Among  the  landlords  who  last  summer  were  desirous  of 
providing  an  asylum  for  a  portion  of  their  tenantry,  was 

*  It  may  be  necessary  to  remark  that  many  of  the  Irish  emigrants  sailed 
from  English  ports. 


124  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

one  who  was  actuated  by  far  other  motives  than  merely- 
getting  rid  of  so  many  people.  We  trust  there  were  others 
urged  by  similar  motives,  but  there  were  some  not  very 
creditable  exceptions.  Steven  E.  De  Vere,  Esq.,  a  gentle- 
man of  fortune,  and  the  proprietor  of  some  estates  in  the 
South  of  Ireland,  having  heard  a  great  deal  about  the  evils 
and  benefits  of  emigration  to  this  Province,  and  hearing 
also  of  the  sufferings  of  many  poor  people  who  had  been 
sent  from  the  country,  determined  to  try  the  experiment 
himself.  This  he  came  to  the  conclusion  to  do,  not 
by  making  arrangements  for  the  transport  of  so  many 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  his  tenantry,  and  remaining  at 
home  to  hear  as  much,  or  as  little  as  might  be,  of  their 
fate  ;  but  he  would  see  for  himself.  He  accordingly  picked 
some  dozen  volunteers  from  among  the  numbers  who 
would  gladly  have  accompanied  him,  and  with  them  took 
shipping  for  Quebec,  in  the  steerage  of  one  of  the  regular 
passenger  ships.  Landlord  aud  Tenant  fared  alike,  the 
former  taking  careful  notes  of  the  events  of  the  passage. 
Of  the  voyage  we  need  say  nothing  more  than  that  it  was 
of  the  average  character -7- there  was  all  the  disease,  ill 
usagf^,  and  wretchedness  of  which  our  readers  have  often 
been  made  perfectly  aware  ; — the  state  of  things  which 
imported  the  fever  that  carried  ofT  many  of  our  most 
valued  friends  and  citizens.  At  Quebec,  proceedings  were 
commenced  against  the  Captain,  which  were  ultimately 
compounded  upon  his  paying  a  certain  amount  for  the 
benefit  of  the  sufTering  Emigrants.  Mr.  De  Vere  proceeded 
to  Upper  Canada,  and  closely  observed  the  whole  process 
of  transportation,  to  the  very  last  destination  —  the  graves 
of  the  fever-stricken  people.     In  Toronto  this  philanthropic 


APPENDIX.  125 


genlleman  attended  the  emigrant  office,  and  rendered  much 
assistance  to  tiie  lamented  and  indefatigable  agent,  JMr.  Mc 
Elderly,  boarding  with  him  every  steamer  filled  with  the 
wretched  cargoes,  and  transmitting  to  the  "proper  au- 
thorities" the  result  of  his  laborious  experience.  He  was 
well  pleased  with  the  management  of  our  hospitals ;  but 
shocked,  as  every  one  was,  with  the  mode  of  transporting 
the  poor  people  hither.  Some  of  the  steamboat  cargoes 
were  sufficient  to  recall  to  the  mind  the  horrors  of  the  sea 
voyage.  Mr.  De  Vere's  people  suffered  from  fever,  but  re- 
covered, receiving  his  constant  personal  attendance.  The 
fact  of  this  gentleman's  investigations  being  laid  before  the 
Colonial  Secretary,  and  some  members  of  the  House  of 
Lords,  coming  as  they  did  from  one  well  known,  and  who 
could  not  possibly  have  any  interest  in  writing,  but  the 
benefit  of  his  countrymen,  has  had  a  good  effect,  and  he 
merits  well  of  the  people  of  this  Province,  as  well  as  the 
emigrating  population  of  the  mother  country. 

Few  men  are  found  to  act  from  such  pure  disinterested- 
ness in  these  days,  and  it  is  gratifying  to  observe  the  result 
of  such  labors. 

Mr.  De  Vere  returns  shortly  to  England,  and,  by  making 
his  views  public,  will,  we  hope,  be  the  means  of  obtaining 
further  improvements,  as  those  already  made  are  by  no 
means  sufficient.  One  fact  is  certain,  his  information  may 
be  implicitly  relied  upon  by  government ;  for  he  has  ob- 
tained it  himself,  on  the  spot,  and  by  the  most  careful,  and 
indeed  dangerous  investigation,  as  the  above  mentioned 
facts  fully  show." 

It  was  the  author's  intention  to  confine  himself  to  the 


126  THE  OCEAN  PLAGUE. 

occurrences  of  the  year  1847 ;  but  as  the  publication  of 
the  foregoing  narrative  has  been  delayed  longer  than  was 
anticipated,  it  may  here  be  observed  that  he  had  strong 
hopes  that  judicious  precautions  would  have  been  taken  to 
prevent  the  repetition  this  season,  of  the  tragic  scenes  of 
the  last. 

Some  legislative  enactments  for  the  further  regulation  of 
Emigrant  ships  have  been  passed  by  Great  Britain,  during 
the  last  session  of  Parliament ;  but  it  is  much  to  be  feared 
that  they  will  prove  quite  inefficient.  It  is  painful  to  ob- 
serve the  very  unfavorable  accounts  from  some  of  the 
Ports  of  the  United  States,  as  well  as  of  New  Brunswick 
and  Nova  Scotia. 

As  regards  Canada  the  prospect  is  exceedingly  gloomy, 
to  judge  from  the  conduct  of  the  executive  government 
in  forbidding  the  publication,  or  issue  of  any  reports  from 
the  Quarantine  Station,  respecting  the  state  of  things  there. 

Were  not  the  trials  of  the  wretched  emigrant  already 
sufficiently  great,  that  he  must 

"  To  such  unsigMy  sufferings  be  debased  ?  " 

The  Press  has  boldly  taken  up  the  matter,  and  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that  the  appearance  and  repetition  of  such  articles 
as  the  following  will  tend  to  the  repeal  of  the  obnoxious 
and  cruel  edict. 

"  Grosse  Isle  Intelligence. 

"  The  executive  government  have  forbidden  the  transmis- 
sion of  any  news  or  statements  from  the  island,  except,  we 
suppose,  to  head  quarters,  that  is,  to  themselves.  This  is  a 
proceeding  as  arrogant  as  it  is  absurd  and  mischievous. 


APPENDIX.  127 


Last  year  full  reports  were  given  to  the  public  of  the  state 
of  the  island  and  the  proceedings  there,  as  well  from  of- 
ficial as  from  private  sources.  Why  then  interdict  the 
publication  this  year,  when  more  than  ever  a  faithful  re- 
turn of  the  health  and  sickness  prevailing  at  the  quarantine 
station  is  most  desirable  ? 

If  the  prohibition  be  intended  to  prevent  alarm,  it  is 
founded  upon  false  premises,  as,  in  the  absence  of  au- 
thentic information,  wild  and  exaggerated  rumors  obtain 
credence.  The  public  have  a  right  to  be  informed  of  what 
is  passing  at  Grosse  Isle."  —  Kingston  Chronicle,  17th 
June,  1848. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  bring  forward  any  further  evidence 
of  the  popular  indignation  so  warmly  expressed  against 
such  despotic  cruelty.     How  long  will 

"  Oppression,  with  her  heart 
"Wrapp'd  up  in  triple  brass,  besiege  mankind  ?  " 

THE    END.  ' 


